


Path of Good and Evil

by Silverbulletsdeath



Category: Ever After High
Genre: Betrayal, Death, F/F, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Good and Evil, Hints of Non-con, Imprisonment, Kidnapping, Lies, Neglect, Rebirth, Rewrite, child sickness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-02-22 17:07:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 63,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2515307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverbulletsdeath/pseuds/Silverbulletsdeath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The stories are so sanitized, sex in image without blood or true conflict.  But what is good and evil?  How is one person good when they make another miserable?  Are they evil for having dreams?  This follows Apple the Royal who only wants her destiny after her graduation that year, and Raven who wants to be good and follow her own path.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Royal

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note: This is what happens when I watch the first new episodes of something. So yeah, I watched up to when Cupid comes and this is my version of what happens to the Rebels and Royals. Lots of references to fairy tales. Which means that it is more violent than the sanitized version, and more references to sex (though with those outfits I'm not sure what message they are sending). Basically an Ever After High that reflects Fairy Tales, not just make a buck off them (not that I don't appreciate that they at least give girls the chance to look for fairy tales now that they know this version). The OCs are minimal. All are, or are based on, classic fairy tales, and I limited them to small parts. 
> 
> Know that certain characters will be out of character since it is based off watching just a few episodes but know characters like the Evil Queen and Duchess exist without first seeing them on screen. And no offense to Shannon Hale, but I am completely disregarding her books in order to make this one.

Waking up with the sunrise and singing with the waking birds helped  start another perfect day.  Apple White smiled and held out her hand for one of the school's doves to come and land on her hand.  Raven Queen groaned and shoved her head under her pillow.  Apple White smiled at her roommate.  Raven Queen was trying so hard to buck her destiny for some silly reason, but Apple White believed she just had to encourage and be a good role model and Raven Queen would realize who she really was and take up her role as the evil queen in Apple White's story. 

The rays from the sun lit up the room.  It was actually sort of funny.  It was perfect the way the light came in and made her side of the room so bright and cheery, while the shadows darkened and caste ominous shadows on Queen Raven's side of the room. 

Apple rocked on her heels, as she looked through her wardrobe.  Today was Legacy Day.  This was officially the day that her destiny started.  Really, this was when the school year really began everything before was just prologue.  Now every senior at Ever After High would cement their parts and spend the next year perfecting their skills so they could complete their stories.  Apple just needed the perfect outfit to wear that night.  Raven had already received her own evil dress the night before.  Genuine dragons had flown it to her.  Raven might be a little confused about her destiny, but her mother certainly knew how important it was with that display.  Apple could almost forgive the woman for what she had done to her mother.  The Evil Queen knew her daughter belonged in Apple's story, even if Raven hadn't realized it yet. 

With a sigh Apple started going through her dresses trying to find something remotely suitable.  The fairy godmother teaching damsel in distress psychology hadn't let her skip class when it became clear that mother had forgotten to get her something and Apple hadn't been able to go to town and get something suitable.  Apple sighed.  Miss Green Fairy should have understood and let Apple go shopping.  It wasn't Apple's fault that her mother was more preoccupied with run the kingdom and helping the less fortunate to remember to get her daughter something special for Legacy Day. 

Really Snow just didn't understand how important this day was to Apple.  Apple's mother had actually told Apple that the only reason she sent Apple to Ever After High was because the Headmaster had pressured her into it.  Apple didn't understand.  Didn't her mother want Apple to get her happily ever after?  Sure, she wouldn't live it in school, but she would learn and pledge herself to that destiny.  In many ways, this was better.

The wind blew through the open window, shaking Apple of her increasingly depressing thoughts.  Apple reminded herself that she was a royal, and a soon to be queen.  She had nothing to get depressed over.  She still had her happily ever after to look forward to.  And she would make her pledge regardless of what she was wearing.  There was a soft trill from a couple of doves that came in and settled on Apple's bed.  Apple let a soft, understanding sigh escape her lips as she turned to shew the birds out.  Apple loved them, but Raven didn't like birds in the room and, truthfully, Apple discouraged birds from landing on her bed.  Most, importantly, while they never made mess on her side of the room all but a couple made a point to leave Raven a little "gift" when they left.  Apple in good consciousness could not allow that.  She understood the way they felt, but Raven couldn't help what she was, and that meant Apple got her destiny. 

"Oh my," said Apple, squealing and jumping up and down as she clapped her hands.  There, with the doves flying and holding it up with frantically flapping wings, was the most beautiful and extravagant dress she'd had since her fifth birthday.  Apple ran forward and caught her dress just as it  started to fall.  She always had good luck like that. 

"Apple," growled Raven.  Apple looked around and then giggled, covering her mouth with one delicate hand. 

"Sorry," she whispered.  Raven glared out from underneath her dark purple pillow. The Rebel's hair was a positive mess.  Apple just giggled as Raven sighed and tried to burrow under her covers.  Apple decided that she better get out quickly before Raven destroyed her dress in revenge.  Raven might think she wanted to be good, but the evil queen to be still managed to do plenty of damage with her spells, especially when irritated with person. 

The bodice of the outfit turned out to be a little difficult to get on.  In response, Apple picked up a little bell, the small tinkle of glass making Raven groan again, but also a dozen small brownies appeared and laced up the bodice tight.  Apple felt her breath leave her body and the hoop skirt almost through her off balance.  Apparently, the front of it went up to mid thigh.  Very pretty but it took some figuring so Apple didn't trip over her heels.  Finally the fairies finished.  Apple was scared to see how it looked.  What if her mother got a dress that looked good on her.  Since Apple had the wrong color hair, it might look horrible on her.   

When the brownies disappeared in a small puff of smoke Apple was all done up.  Apple skipped over to her vanity mirror.  It still didn't tell her how beautiful it was, but Apple didn't need a mirror to tell her if an outfit looked great on her makeup was smudged.  The hoop  skirt was a little too black, but thankfully it was just an accent to the rest of the ensemble.  The bodice was white with delicate gold designs.  The chemise was a vibrant red.  And her outer dress, well, with a gold crown on her head, her outfit made her look like the queen she was soon to be. 

It didn't take too long to put on the appropriate makeup, and Apple grabbed her purse and skipped from the room, remembering to close the door behind her softly.  She was such a good roommate. 

All the windows in the castle were wide open.  Soon it would be too late in autumn and too cold to leave the windows open all the time.  But for now fresh air kept the dusty castle easy to live in.  Apple happily skipped down the stairs.  She knew better than to go to wake Briar so early in the morning.  Especially since Briar had thrown that Royal party last night.  She wouldn't be awake until the afternoon, and with no classes, Apple had the whole day to primp and get herself psyched.  She couldn't ware herself out, but that didn't mean she would get some stuff done. 

Apple was still a little worried about Raven.  Would the Rebel embrace her evil queen inside by tonight and what would happen if she didn't.  What would happen if Raven didn't promise to complete destiny?  Apple reminded herself that the Headmaster had planned it so that it would be too awkward for Raven not to promise she would follow her in her mother's footsteps.  He had made it so that all the students who were known royals to go before Raven.  Apple went right before her, and Apple knew that she would inspire Raven to do the right thing. 

For some reason Ashlynn wasn't going before Raven, but then, maybe the Headmaster put her in the middle of the so called rebels to make sure that they saw the sensibility in following in their parents' footsteps. 

The further Apple went into the castle, the more she off she felt.  There were very few people walking the corridors.  When Apple got to the cafeteria, she saw that only the Three Little Pigs were there.  Apple grabbed an orange and ran from the place.  She needed to find people, or maybe go and find some animals to sing too.  Apple sent a couple of texts through her imirror, but no one responded.  Apparently everyone was tuckered out from the party, even the characters from other cliques must have had their own parties, and obviously everyone was sleeping in before the big day.

In the end, Apple decided to take a walk through the maze in the garden.  There was little chance that she would rip or damage her dress, and she would also be careful to get the attention of the animals that made their home there.  Really, it was looking like she should have overslept, at least this once. 

Apple shivered, her fingers digging into her orange.  The fingers actually broke through the skin she dug so hard.  Apple looked down at the orange.  Her breath got caught in her chest, as red juice slipped over her hand, staining and making her hand sticky.  Why was she bleeding?  When had she hurt herself? Then she really looked at the orange.  The inside of it was red, blood red.  That wasn't right.  Inside of oranges was orange not...

Some twisted hand clasped onto Apple's shoulder, and she pushed away at the person and tried to run away.  Instead Apple fell down and crashed into the wall of the castle, grazing by moving armor.  Apple flipped herself around and looked in front of her, putting her hands in front of her face to ward off the evil that was threatening her.  What she saw, confused her.  A teenager that Apple didn't recognized stood in front of her.  She was odd looking, wearing the most drab clothing Apple had ever seen and slippers instead of high heel shoes.  She had white, thin, straight hair that had an almost feather like quality.  But despite the white hair, she had light brown skin and eyes as blue as sapphires. 

Apple then realized she was lying on the ground, quite unlike queen.  Her chest pounding like she had run through the forest.  She quickly tried to stand, but she was still off balance from her new dress.  Right, that was it.  Apple swore gently as her heels tipped when she tried to stand. 

A hand appeared in front of her.  After a second of shock, Apple took the other girl's hand and let her help her up.

"Uh, hi," said Apple, and then she shook her head.  She was the daughter of Snow White and she was going to be the queen.  She needed to be diplomatic and stop tripping all over herself. "Sorry, I didn't mean too so ungraceful.  Thank you for helping me."

The girl took out her mirror and started writing, she then flipped the tablet.  Apple looked at what she wrote. _Are you okay?_

"Why aren't you talking to me?" asked Apple.  The teen took back her tablet and wrote one word.

 _Mute_.

"Oh, you poor dear," said Apple and quickly went forward and embraced the strange girl.  The girl stiffened, but Apple just drew her in closer before she let her go. "I'm Apple White, the daughter of Snow White.  It's nice to meet you."

Once the girl was free of Apple, the girl started writing. _I'm Angel Mary_.

"Why can't you talk?" asked Apple. "Have you already graduated and started your story?  What's it like?  Is it everything you hoped it would be?  Is your happily ever after soon?"

Angel laughed and quickly started writing. _No to graduating and a sorta to the story._

"What do you mean?" asked Apple.

 _I am part of a spontaneous story_ , wrote Angel.  _Those can be more complicated and uncertain_.

"Oh, I didn't know there was such a thing as spontaneous stories anymore," said Apple.  Would meeting Angel hurt Raven's chance at her destiny?  Angel appeared to be laughing.  She started writing again.

 _Are you over your anxiety attack?_ Apple gasped.  It hadn't been an anxiety attack.  She was a queen, strong and sure of who she was and her destiny. 

"I didn't have an anxiety attack," said Apple, crossing her arms.  Angel tilted her head, her brows furrowing, and then she started writing again.

 _Why did you destroy your blood orange?_ Angel wrote, her expression almost overly concerned. 

"Blood Orange?" Apple looked down at the orange that she had destroyed.  So this wasn't a normal orange! "Wait, so I got an orange filled with blood.  Did one of the evil characters change the oranges?"

 _No, it's just called blood orange because it's red on the inside. Still edible, I think it's better than normal oranges,_ Apple felt her mouth fall open in surprise.  She looked down at the mutilated fruit. 

"Oh, well that's just silly," said Apple with a roll of her eyes. 

 _I haven't eaten at all today and had quite a long journey to get here_ , wrote Angel.

"Oh, of course, how rude of me," said Apple.  She turned and started heading back toward the cafeteria. "So are you going to transfer here now?  I mean, you did come out of the Headmaster's office.  We are in that area."

Apple glanced over at Angel, who finished writing and handed over her answer.  _No.  I'm just here to observe Legacy Day._

"Oh, are one of your siblings going to be pledging today?" asked Apple, clapping her hands together.

 _You could say that_ , wrote Angel.  Apple smiled at her.  The cafeteria was still pretty deserted when they got there.  A couple of people had joined the Three Little Pigs, but they were all anthropomorphic characters and happily eating, though the rabbits kept looking at the fox sideways.  Apple sighed.  She would have liked to introduce Angel to her friends, but even though Apple loved anthropomorphic animals, they just didn't run in the same circles, and they were busy eating and probably wouldn't be interested in meeting Angel anyway. 

Apple directed and insisted on paying for Angel's breakfast and two blood oranges, Angel got pancakes and sausages.  Apple decided that she should eat a little something.  It would be embarrassing to swoon on such an important day because of low blood sugar.   A flash of red disappeared out the door.  It looked like Cerise was running away again.  Really, Apple didn't understand how Daring had become such close friends with the character.  Cerise had such a wonderful story, well, except the whole getting eaten thing, but the repetition and symbolism of her story was just so beautiful. Why was she so jump?  It wasn't like Professor Wolf stayed outside the evil end of the castle grounds

Breakfast was nice.  Apple started to hum under her breath as she picked at her fruit salad.   When she finished, Angel was still eating.  The white haired teen ate very slowly, acting as if each bite would be her last and she was savoring that last bite.  After a couple of minutes, Angel reached into her dress and took out a small vile and placed it next Apple's abandoned plate.  Apple looked at it in confusion.

Angel started tapping away at her mirrorpad and then flipped it Apple's way before she returned to eating slowly again _. It's stain remover.  That's a very beautiful dress.  I'd hate for the gold deign to be ruined._

"What?" asked Apple and then looked down at her dress.  There was a scattering of red stains across her bodice.  She gasped in distress and quickly snatched up the bottle.  Angel gave her a handkerchief.  Apple first soaked a part of it in the remover and then started to dab at the stains. "Am I doing it right?"

Angel nodded.  Apple sighed gratefully. 

"You are a lifesaver," she told Angel. "You have to let me thank you.  I know.  I could get you a nice outfit for tonight.  Not that what you're wearing isn't..."

Apple trailed off as Angel started laughing.  It was a very weird laugh.  Completely silent, Apple couldn't even hear Angel breathe in.  Angel then took back her pad and started writing again. 

 _I have a nicer dress in my room.  I'm wearing this until then.  It's not very pretty, but I only brought one nice dress and didn't want to chance getting it ruined.  You're very brave_.  As Apple read the mirrorpad she felt her cheeks turning red.

"I guess I was just so excited to get this dress that I didn't even think about what could happen to it.  I should have waited," said Apple.  Really, she was being so silly today.  Nothing like the queen she should be. 

 _It looks beautiful on you_ , Angel wrote. 

"I know right?" asked Apple cheerfully. Then her smile fell a little. "Maybe I should get changed.  Oh, but I promised you a shopping trip.  Are you sure you don't want to go buy something?"

 _Could I get a tour?  I heard that this school has a magnificent gardens_.  Apple gasped.

"Oh my, you must have been reading my mind.  Before I bumped into you I was totally planning on going to the maze.  You have to go through the maze to get to the garden," said Apple, clapping her hands in excitement.

Angel lifted one eyebrow. _You have to?_

"Well, not technically I suppose," said Apple and then pouted at Angel.  Angel laughed.

 _I would love to go to the maze, but you have to keep wearing that dress.  I'll feel really important being shown around by someone dressed so regally_.  Apple blushed at the compliment.

"Alright, but you have to keep wearing those rags.  It'll make me feel like I'm doing some charity," said Apple teasingly.  Angel laughed soundlessly and they both stood to drop off their trays.  Angel slipped the blood orange into her tote bag. 

The maze was as beautiful as it always was.  The flowers were in full bloom.  They talked for hours, not about much, just about whatever came to mind.  Apple told Angel all about the school and what she knew about the gardens.  The gardens were mostly kept up by students and a select number of faculty.  Yes, servants made sure everything was okay and sometimes did menial things.  Apple told Angel everything she knew about it.  She couldn't remember the name of the brother and sister who kept up the maze.  But Jack had a good plot going, and not just of beans, and Lizzie had the most amazing rampion. 

As the day went on, Apple started learning a lot about Angel.  The teenager knew a lot about plants.  Apple started to wonder if Angel was a flouriest.  She knew what every flower and plant meant.  Apple really wished that Angel could transfer into their school.  Even though the other girl was mute, she was an amazing conversationalist.  Maybe her destiny was over, but having a peer who had completed her destiny could be good for moral. 

Just as the sun was reaching its peak, Apple saw Raven at one of the gazebos reading one of her books.  Apple smiled.  The future queen was almost done with her tour and she could introduce Raven to Angel.  It would be interesting.  Angel probably didn't have too many encounters with a nice evil person.  Angel had this wonderful sense of humor and maybe Raven could help convince Angel to stay at the school.  Everyone needed an education, even with her story done, Angel still needed to learn something's for her life, and she needed to meet people and hang out with girls her own age. 

Apple turn back to read what Angel had written to describe the white roses splashed with red that Lizzie was growing along with her rampion. 

"What do you think you're doing?" demanded Raven.  Apple looked over at Raven in surprise.  Apple wasn't doing anything wrong.  Guests were allowed to see the grounds if they had been cleared by the Headmaster, and Apple was sure Angel had been cleared.  She had been next in the Headmaster's office when they had banged into one another.  But Raven wasn't looking at Apple, she was looking at Angel.  Angel was busy writing something onto her mirrorpad, and only flipped it around as Raven got a few feet away.

 _Hello Raven_.  Angel was smiling as she looked at the next evil queen. 

"Apple get away from her," said Raven angrily, pulling Apple away from Angel quite roughly. 

"You know each other?" asked Apple in surprise.  Raven glanced at her before turning to glare at Angel.

 _We're neighbors,_ wrote Angel.

"What are you doing here Angel?  I didn't think they'd let you out of Poison Village after what they found out you did," said Raven, actually sounding like the Evil Queen that she was born to become.

 _Allegedly_ , wrote Angel, her smile turning into a smirk, the visitor looked less innocent as she relaxed back so she was leaning against the back of her heels.  _I'm here for the same reason Petal is here for the students pledging their life to a good part in a story.  I'm here to make sure that none of the good characters try anything to any of you swearing to be evil._  

"Fine, then hang out around the ones of us that are evil.  Leave Apple and girls like her alone.  She doesn't know your real nature.  She doesn't get what evil really is," snapped Raven.  Apple looked at Raven in confusion.  Angel wasn't evil.  At least, she hadn't acted or done anything to Apple that was evil.  In fact, Angel had helped Apple out and been nothing but kind.  Really, Apple didn't understand why Raven was being so mean to someone that was on the same side as her.  If Angel really was evil, Apple would have thought Raven would get along with her.  Or at least be on speaking terms with her.  After all, most other characters who were villains were intimidated by Raven. 

 _I'll go get ready for tonight then_ , wrote Angel, still smirking.  She then started writing again and held the mirrorpad so it was obvious the next message was for Apple. _It was good to meet you Apple.  Thank you for the tour._

"You're welcome," said Apple with a song, and then she almost fell into an ungraceful heap when Raven started pulling her away harshly. "Really Raven, what was that all about?"

Raven practically pushed Apple away from her when they got closer to the school.  Apple turned to the future evil queen and glared.  Only to see that Raven was glaring at her.  the future evil queen looked furious.  It was one of the few times that Apple actually found herself a little scared of Raven.  But Apple forced herself not to take a step back and held her ground, squaring her shoulders and holding her ground proudly like any good queen should. 

"What is your problem Raven?" demanded Apple, stomping one foot against the ground.  Raven spun on Apple and stormed right into the Royal's personal space. 

"My problem?  I wasn't the one showing around a dangerous harpy," snapped Raven.  Apple titled her head to the side and then forced herself to stop leaning back and get right into Raven's face so they were almost standing nose to nose. 

"She didn't do anything to me Raven.  She's just as dangerous as you are," said Apple with a roll of her eyes.

"No, I want to be good.  Angel... I can't even begin to describe what she did to her..." Raven shivered and looked a little sick.  Then she glared at Apple. "You shouldn't be so reckless.  Just because you have a happy ending in your story doesn't mean that if you get mixed up with the wrong evil that you won't end up more than briefly poisoned.  Angel isn't bound by our rules.  She didn't have to promise like the rest of us to not do evil while in school, and she never had a set destiny.  She can do what she wants."

"Well of course she swore.  I met her when she was coming out of the Headmaster's office," said Apple with a roll of her eyes. "And Angel didn't seem that bad."

"You don't know what she did," hissed Raven.

"What did she do?" asked Apple.  Raven opened her mouth and then clicked it shut again, looking away, once again looking sick.

"Apple, we've been looking for you," said Briar as she flew down the steps to Apple.  Behind her was Blondie, Maddie Hatter, and a couple of other characters.  "Come on, we can't get Duchess off Daring.  We're afraid he'll try to make himself ugly again.  You know what happened last time."

Apple felt her face heating up.  No matter what she did, Duchess was always trying to steal Daring away.  Not that Daring and Apple were dating, but Daring was a close friend and could very well be her Prince Charming.  While he liked attention, Duchess made him uncomfortable, and it hurt him when he pushed his hair out of his eyes or dirtied his teeth.  It was against his nature. 

So Apple went to save her best guy friend from the actual evil harpy.  Personally Apple couldn't wait until Duchess turned into a dirty swam, maybe it would turn her into a better person.  It would get her a prince that was actually interested in her for one thing. 

For the rest of the day, Apple hung out with her friends helping them get ready.  She redid her makeup, and helped Ashlynn needed a little help picking out the perfect shoes, and Briar had decided to make her own outer gown at the last minute and so they had an impromptu sewing party.  Daring even showed Holly how to thread a needle.  That skill had surprised Apple.  She didn't know that guys could sew, and Daring was a prince.  What use did sewing have for him?  Why learn it?  Daring had shrugged and said that his mother liked sewing so much she often neglected her other duties.  Apple had known that, but hadn't figured out that Daring had learned sewing so he could spend time with his mother.

Finally, fifteen minutes before they needed to be down and ready, the girls all looked their best in their most expansive and extravagant dresses.  All the boys looked handsome and refined.  Most importantly every single one of them all looked like the fairy characters they were meant to be.  As Apple gathered with the rest of the students in the cafeteria, she couldn't help but bounce on the balls of her feet.  It was starting to get a little hot.  Apple couldn't wait until the senior class was led out and into the open air. 

Still, despite how ready she was to take the pledge, Apple couldn't help but be a little nervous. This was such a big moment for her.  Would her parents make it?  Raven was standing just a couple of feet away from Apple talking to Mattie.  Raven really looked nerved up.  Apple really hoped that her roommate had learned and accepted her place as the new Evil Queen.  No more silly rule breaking.  No more Rebels. Just characters read to complete their destinies and play their parts.

Finally they started heading out the door to the beginning of their stories.  The courtyard was well lit, the mood just right for heading out to make the most important moment of her (and everyone's) life.  The walk was long, it seemed like thousands of people had shown up to see them pledge their destiny.  The sun was just starting to go down as they ascended up the stairs.  One of the pigs squealed in fear, he must have looked over the railing at the cliff's edge. 

Once the Headmaster had said his part the pledges began.  Four gigantic mirrors hung in the sky and showed the face of the pledge as they swore to uphold their destinies and turned the key in the book.  Apple held her key tight to her chest and watched with only a little fear as everyone pledged to play their parts.  Sometimes, she would go over in her head how she would say her pledge.  It was important that she got it just right.

And then Lizzie Hearts, having sworn to follow her mother the Queen of Hearts, stepped off the stage and it was her turn.  Apple took one last deep breath in and walked to the edge to the podium and the book.  She forced away those pesky worries and as soon as she was only a couple of steps away from the podium she spread her arms out wide and let the birds that flew her way land on her arms.

"I am Apple White, daughter of Snow White, and I am ready to pledge my destiny," said Apple, spreading out her arms again though now birds landed on them.  There was a loud cheer and confetti was thrown once again into the air.  Apple smiled. "I pledge to follow in my mother's footsteps.  To eat the poisoned apple from the evil queen and not wake until my prince kisses me and to become the greatest and fairest queen to my people."

And with that declaration, Apple fitted her key into the book and turned.  A light went off and covered Apple in a warm glow.  Flowers and tiaras flew her way as the crowd went wild.  Apple gathered up what flew right in her arms and gave her audience a perfect wave and then blew a kiss into the air.  As she headed back, the Headmaster stopped her and signaled her to stand on one side of the podium as Raven walked to the podium.  Raven was wringing her hands, her expression stormy.  Apple turned to watch the misfit.  She really did feel sorry for Raven.  The poor dear just could not accept who she was. It was tragic, really.  

But Apple believed in Raven.  The other girl would make the right choice in the end.  Raven certainly dressed the part of an evil queen, and the future Evil Queen had had so many good peer role models on follow her story line.  As Raven got closer to the podium storm clouds moved in and lightning lit up the sky.  Where once it had just been sunset, now it was purple twilight.

"I am Raven Queen," said Raven, her voice sure and steady, though Apple was facing the opposite direction of the mirrors so she couldn't see her expression. Apple kept her hands clasped together, almost cutting off circulation, but the smile stayed on her face.  Raven could do it. With the support of Apple and the Headmaster next to her, she was sure to pledge to carry out her part of the story.  She wouldn't let all of them disappear into smoke. "Daughter of the Evil Queen, and I pledge. Um.  I..."

Apple put her hands out in front of her, bouncing up and down and willing Raven to say the words.  Just say the words and turn the key.

"Come on, do it," said Apple, her words escaping her in her excitement when Raven turned to glance in her direction.  She hadn't meant to, but maybe it was for the best, Raven was obviously looking for support, and hopefully she would be able to overcome her weaknesses knowing that Apple was there to support her. 

"I..." and then Raven sighed again.  Apple could feel the butterflies return to her stomach and tension knotting her shoulders. 

"I pledge to write my own story and be true to my real self," said Raven, and before it had really sunk in what had happened, Raven turned to key.  Purple magic sprang from the book and completely covered Raven.  Apple felt her hands go to her mouth and took a couple of devastated steps backward and then fell to her knees. 

She watched in horror as Raven was surrounded in purple magic.  Raven was probably gone now, and without Raven, Apple had no more story.  What story was there without the main antagonist.  Who was the prince going to save her from?  Herself?   Apple looked down at her own hands and then body and waited to watch as she disappeared into nothing too.  Tears started rolling down her eyes, and Apple felt someone grab her under the arms and start to lead her away. 

Eventually Apple fell asleep in  person's arms, tears still running down her face. 

"Is she going to be okay?" asked a voice that sounded like Blondie. 

"Yeah, I just think she was a little shell shocked," said Briar, really close to Apple.  Oddly close to Apple.  Suddenly the Royal's eyes sprang open and she looked behind her. "Wow easy."

"How did I?  Where is Daring?" asked Apple, her voice cracking as she looked around.  She saw all her friends, but maybe Daring hadn't taken the pledge and her happy forever after really was gone, never to come back.  Apple felt tears stream down her face anew.

"Oh, Apple," Daring pushed his way to the front of the crowd and then drew Apple into a tight embrace.  Apple dug her face into his chest and held him tight with one arm.

"Why weren't you holding me?  have you become a..?" Apple wasn't able to ask if he had become a Rebel.  The word got choked in her throat.

"You wouldn't let go of my hand," said Briar dryly, holding up their clasped hands.  Apple blushed and let Briar go.  The adrenaline junkie immediately started to try and rub blood back into her hands.

"I would never leave you Apple," said Daring, drawing in Apple close. "Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't... did Raven disappear?  Am I going to disappear?" asked Apple hesitantly.

"No, Raven is fine.  The Headmaster said that she and the other Rebels didn't say they weren't going to follow their destiny, they just said they would be true to themselves," said Briar. "So we still have a chance."

"Other Rebels?" asked Apple.  Briar sighed and nodded.

"A good handful of characters after Raven gave the same pledge," said Blondie, her expression forlorn. 

"Cerise?" asked Apple.  Daring shook his head.

"No, she pledge to follow her mother's path.  We think.  We couldn't really hear her, but she's still hanging around us," said Blondie.  Then she bit her lip and tears appeared in her eyes. "It's Ashlynn.  She's the one who..."

"Why?" asked Apple, standing up though still feeling a little light headed and shaky on her feet.  Daring let go of her but tried to put an arm around her shoulder.  Apple backed away from him.

"You're not going to freak out again?" asked Daring, and Apple glared at him and then at everyone.

"I don't understand.  What is wrong with all of you?  How can you be so calm?" demanded Apple, backing up as her thoughts jumbled all together.

"Calm down.  You're going to have another panic attack," said Holly gently. 

"Why do people keep saying that!  I am not having a panic attack!" shouted Apple. "You're all just standing there while our world is falling apart!  How could they do this?  Why would they do this!"

"Oh Apple," said Briar, standing next to Daring. "It'll be ok.  We'll work things out."

Apple shook her head.

"I just... I just need to leave," said Apple, still backing up. "I just need to be alone."

Apple turned and fled.  She saw Daring reach for her, but Briar stopped him.  The future Snow White didn't even think about where she was going.  She ended up past where she had taken her pledge all the way into the gardens.  It seemed that she still had tears to spare because they were streaming down her face. 

That's why Ashlynn hadn't gone before Raven, because the Headmaster had somehow knew that, for some reason, Ashlynn was going to turn on them. 

It didn't matter.  Raven still was the one who started characters turning their backs on their stories.  How could she do that? 

"I'm not..." said a voice, and then Apple froze.  She had run away, right in Cupid.  The pink monster turned to her in surprise. "Apple, you look horrible.  Did Daring dump you?"

Apple shook her head, and then looked Cupid right in the eye. "Did you pledge to be like you're mother?"

"Well, no, but I didn't even know my real mother.  I was accepted into this school under special circumstances, remember?" asked Cupid.  Apple nodded.  She did remember there being some rumor about special circumstances for Cupid.  After all, there was no story for Cupid to follow.  She was just supposed to help out the characters or something. "I was just here to give everyone support, and then I met Angel and wanted to talk about her opinions on Monsters after talking to Petal."

"Angel?" asked Apple, looking past Cupid.  Angel stood there.  She was dressed in a white feather outer dress with a black sequin bodice, a swirling black, and white hoop skirt with feathers as fringe.  Her hair was mostly undone, with only a small black tiara peaking out of her hair, and on her feet were a simple pair of flat white slippers.  For some reason they made Angel look very young.  Apple wasn't used to seeing girls wear flat shoes, she hadn't wore flat shoes since she was a baby. 

 _Hello Apple_ , wrote Angel.  The evil harpy, as Raven called her, had a gentle, understanding smile. _Quite the upset tonight, wasn't it?_

"What will Raven's mom think?" asked Apple, remembering that Raven said they were neighbors.  Angel shrugged.

 _She's busy at the moment.  She might forget right after I tell her_ , wrote Angel.

"Oh my, no wonder Raven doesn't care about her future," said Apple with a gasp.

"I should be going," said Cupid suddenly.  She was wringing her hands together. "I'll see you around Apple.  It was nice meeting you Angel.  I'll see about getting you Nepheria's number."

Angel nodded and Cupid beat a hasty retreat. 

Apple sighed.  She couldn't really blame Cupid for not understanding the gravity of the situation.  The monster hadn't been brought up as a fairy tale character, she just didn't understand what rejecting their destinies would do to their fairy tale lives.

"Is there anything you can do?" asked Apple.  Angel shook her head.

 _I only have the authority to make sure the evil characters are being treated right.  They are choosing to be Rebels, they're not being pressured into it.  Maybe the city will send someone else to help them see the light,_ wrote Angel quickly.

"Why not just tell you to do it?" asked Apple.  Angel shook her head.

 _I'm a new story, and they're pretty sure my story got screwed up along the way.  I am not a good role model for these troubled Rebels_ , wrote Angel.  Apple sighed in disappointment.  Then her breath caught as fear filled her again.  A hand touched her shoulder and Apple looked to see Angel looking at her in worry.  The feathered girl tapped her mirrorpad. _Hey, are you okay?  Is there anything I can do to help?_

"I'm scared, but I don't think there's anything..." Apple's voice caught, and then something clicked in her head and she snapped up her head and met Angel's sapphire eyes. "Actually, I think there is something you can do."

 


	2. Rebel

It was ungodly early in the morning, but the birds were singing, and the sun was reflecting into her eyes from Apples side of the room.  Raven sighed and pushed her comforter off her body, giving up on getting anymore sleep.  She glared at the sparkly jewel that through rainbows all over the room.  No matter where Raven moved she couldn't get the bright lights out of her eyes.  The only way to do so would have been to suffocate herself under hers pillow or comforter. 

So Raven swung her legs out of bed, and stepped into bird poop.  She knew it was poop without looking because the windows were open, and Apple had been singing in that morning.  So that meant that the flying rats had gotten in again.  Really, most of the sensible birds liked Raven.  A couple would even come when she sang but doves and pigeons hated Raven, and the feeling was mutual. 

Raven quickly went to wash off her feet.  There were some rumors that back in her mother's day that the foundation of makeup had been made of bird poop, but Raven found the stuff disgusting and refused to let it stick on her any longer than need be.

When Raven got back to the room, the first thing she saw was her "evil" dress.  Raven sighed.  Her mother had sent it to her, well, Raven thought it was her mother at least.  The Rebel sighed and went for her spell book.  While Raven couldn't do any spells that helped others or were in any way were considered good, she could do spells that benefitted herself.  The more selfish and destructive, the better.  So Raven opened up the old, dusty book.  It had notes in almost all of the pages.  The book was called The All Encompassing Guide to Hexes and Poisons by Blair Wicca.  It was written by the oldest ghost of the land who started out life as a good witch and turned bad her last few years, her mind corroded by the first spell in her book.  The book was huge, and Raven had learned to read from it. All the notes inside were Raven's.

Raven was not proud of owning this book.  It was bad enough that she was forced to take all classes centered on making her evil and all her school books were evil, but even the book she read the most was evil.

But could not deny that she needed the book.  While Raven's mother would never hex or poison Raven's clothes, Raven wasn't sure if her mother would actually remember that today was Legacy Day to send her the dress.  While Raven's mother always encouraged her to do what her teachers told her to do, and to not be so sensitive about people not liking her because she was evil, Raven wasn't sure that her mother even knew what kind of school she had sent her daughter to.  It seemed like the only reason she had gone to Ever After High was because the Empress of Evil's daughter had been disbarred for refusing to wait to put Briar under a spell until after she finished high school.  The two women had the worst rivalry.  It got Raven in trouble time and time again.

Still, maybe a servant had reminded the Evil Queen it was an important day for Raven and her mother had a spell between fighting and backstabbing the other evil rulers banished to Poison Village to get the dress.  Usually when the Evil Queen had a moment to herself, her mother was too wracked with pain from her feet to remember Raven.  Really, sometimes it seemed like fighting all the other evil rulers was what kept her mother's mind off the pain and alive.

So Raven took her dress and hung it in the darkest part of the room when she had gotten it.  It would have been best to run these spells during the night, but Raven had wanted to go to Briar's party, and she had returned to her room the same time as Apple.  Raven hadn't wanted to do these spells with Apple in the room.  Raven's magic had a bad habit of backfiring and targeting Apple in small nasty ways when the future Snow White was in the room. 

Raven's stomach growled loudly.  She paused in her last spell, and almost got it wrong.  Thankfully, everything appeared to be alright.  No poisons or malevolent spells worked into the seams of the elaborate dress.  Raven sighed.  The Headmaster had been giving her a lot of grief over her hesitation to take on her mother's destiny.  Perhaps by wearing this dress, Raven would ease his mind. 

For the time being, Raven stored away her dress and went to wear something more simple so she could get something to eat without worrying about ruining her dress.

The dress she slipped on wasn't her best, but then again, she would be changing later, and she was starving.

"Hello Raven, are you ready to get something to eat?" asked Mattie, showing up just in the nick of time.  Lizzie was with her, looking bored beyond all belief.

"Just let me touch up my makeup," said Raven. 

"Oh, silly, you're starving.  Here let me help," said Madeline.  She clenched her right hand in a fist and then blew.  Colorful dust settled on Raven's face and made her sneeze. 

Madeline started giggling anew, and Lizzie was looking at her hands like there used to be something in them.  Raven had a feeling she had just sneezed it out of existence.  Lizzie then looked up, her eyes narrowing at Raven before she looked sharply over at Madeline.

"Off with your head!" Lizzie screeched, pointing at Madeline, who only giggled and grabbed a cup of tea from thin air.  Lizzie turned to Raven then and pointed at her. "And you.  Fix you're makeup quickly, or I'll have your head chopped off too!"

Raven quickly retreated back to her room.  She left the door open for her friends to come in if they wanted and went to her mirror.  She sighed and ran her finger against her face.  To call what Madeline had put on her face clown makeup would be putting it lightly.  It was nice of Lizzie to tell her.  Usually it was too hard on Lizzie to concentrate on anything that wasn't her plants or her cards.

Taking off the makeup took time, but thankfully Madeline had visited Raven enough that she knew where Raven stuff was and she actually helped get what Raven needed to get the junk off fast.  Then Raven put on a little mascara, blush, purple lipstick, and purple eye shadow.

"Come on Raven.  It's already noon, and I'm hungry.  Tea time just isn't filling," said Madeline. Raven looked shocked.

"It's already so late?" she asked.  Lizzie lost her temper and started shouting about chopping off heads.  Madeline just started laughing and following her out. 

"You should see her in the morning," whispered Madeline, looking over at Lizzie. "She can be just as distracting and noisy as the narrators.  Really, I would have loved to have you as a roommate.  Lizzie is crazy-tastic, but she's also very loud, and it's always weird to have two characters from the same story rooming together.  It's just so overwhelming.  But you know all about that."

"Yeah, I do, but at least you and Lizzie are on the same side... right?" said Raven.   Even though Raven had been friends with Madeline all these years, ever since high school started and the crazy blue haired girl was the only one who would talk to her, Raven had never gotten a handle on what happened in the original Wonderland.  Raven didn't even understand how it worked there now, though all the characters that came from that village, and even the surrounding towns, were a little crazy.

"Um, well, Wonderland isn't that cut and dry," said Madeline and then she shrugged. "She orders my head cut off, I think, but she orders everyone's head off.  I don't think she hates me.  It's nothing personal.  Actually, it means she's paying attention if she orders me to have my head chopped off."

"Oh," said Raven.  Maybe Wonderland was a little crazy, but Raven had always assumed that there was a balance of good and evil there.  But now that she thought about it, Raven didn't remember any character who seemed to be just good or evil in Wonderland.  The writings describe people who were more of a mix.  Like Madeline, Lizzie wasn't supposed to be evil, just really confusing and very rude.  At least, that's how Raven understood it.

The cafeteria was crowded.  Raven headed over to the top floor with her tray where the rest of seniors ate.  Raven sat down with Madeline and Lizzie.  Kitty arrived a few seconds later, and Raven wondered if there was some way she could become a part of the Wonderland story.  Raven seemed to be slowly becoming friends with everyone but Helena, but seeing as Helena was supposed to be the sane one, Raven could understand. 

Still, Apple was conspicuously missing.  It would be one thing if the rest of the future Snow White's friends were absent, but Briar was falling asleep over her salad, Blondie was doing an on the go version of her show, and Daring was looking forlorn as Duchess chatted at him.  Raven had always found the dynamic between Duchess and Daring fascinating.  Daring could be rude in his own oblivious way, but at heart he was a nice enough guy.  If there was any proof of that, it was how he treated Duchess.  He made it very clear that he wasn't interested in her and constantly turned her down, but he did so gently and without malice, always looking sad to break her heart.  She persisted and instead of tearing her down, he still put up with her and kept boundaries. 

Actually, it was sort of funny.  Daring loved being the center of attention.  When Raven was in a slump, she found herself thinking that the only reason he dated Apple was to make sure he was always had the spotlight on him, even if the light was a bit second hand.  But no.  While Daring was obsessed with himself, but he never seemed to think of any girl with affectionate love but Apple.  That didn't mean he wasn't a gentleman to every lady who showed him interest.  But he was more affectionate to Apples needs and wants in their relationship.

"Raven Queen, please come to the Headmaster's office," said a drowning voice over the intercom.  Raven sighed and grabbed her tray, glad that Madeline wasn't following behind her.  While she got rid of the tray, she kept the sandwich.  It might not look good and to walk and eat, but wasting food and getting sick because you didn't eat enough was embarrassing.  Leading to all sorts of imirrior pictures getting shared through the school. 

Raven paused before the Headmaster's door.  She finished up her sandwich and smoothed out her dress.  She looked down at what she was currently wearing.  The dress had a little bit of light pink in it, and there was some white on the lace in the skirt.  The Headmaster had become critical of everything she did to the point he critiqued her clothing choice.  It wasn't like he didn't act nice to her ever, but he only did that when she dressed or acted wicked in some way.  Lace and pink were far from wicked clothing. 

Raven hated him.  He was trying to manipulate her into being evil, and it was so obvious that it was almost insulting.  She hated him for making her feel hatred.  Finally Raven swallowed the need to run, steeled her nerves so that no matter what, she would be a good person, and knocked on the door.

"Come in Miss Queen." Raven pushed open the door.  The Headmaster was bent over some papers, his eyes and fingers flying over the pages. "I was just wondering if you were ready for tonight.  I know you've been having some trouble accepting your role, and I just wanted to check that you were ready to do your part."

"It isn't just about doing my part," said Raven through gritted teeth.  She slowly took a long breath in and then let it out.  It wouldn't be good if she lost her temper so soon while talking to the Headmaster. "I don't want to be my mother.  I think I could be a wonderful person if I was just given the chance."

The Headmaster sighed, putting so much disappointed emphasis in the sigh that Raven just had to roll her eyes. "I see you still are having some problems Raven. I really wish you could have brought up this problem to us before this year.  Trying to help you deal with this problem so close to Legacy Day is just... but we won't give up on you.  I believe in you Raven.  You have an important part in the kingdom, and I am sure that you will live up to your destiny with great results."

"I don't think this is a problem," said Raven carefully. "My wanting my own life is not a problem.  Wanting to be a better person than my mother is not wrong.  I should want to be a good person.  It should be my choice."

The Headmaster sighed again. "I want you to meet the evil representative your village sent to us to make sure we are doing right by their evil prodigies.  Here, let me give her a ring.  We want to make sure that we are doing everything for our students, and if that means letting in an unsanctioned evil character, than we are welcome to her talking to you and helping you get on the right path."

"You mean the wrong path," said Raven.

"That's the spirit," said the Headmaster and then tapped his mirrorpad a couple of times. "She allowed us to put a tracker on her while she's on school grounds.  It looks like she's in the gardens right now heading out toward the gazebo in the woods.   I wonder how she got all the way out there."

Raven stood and headed out the door.

"You're heading to see her right?" asked the Headmaster.

"Yes," said Raven with a sigh her hand on the doorknob. 

"Great, I am so happy to hear you are taking an active interest in relieving your anxieties about your destiny," said the Headmaster cheerfully.  Raven just sighed again and quickly walked out of the room before she did something stupid.  At least the Headmaster was intent on getting her to talk to this evil character that he hadn't really looked at her clothing.  It was weird to have a guy critique what she wore.  Especially when he measured how evil her clothing looked with how evil she was on the inside.  It was extraordinarily superficial, and Raven was starting to wonder how the Headmaster had gotten his job. 

Raven wandered out into the woods and walked her way down the garden path.  She checked her phone and saw that it was almost one thirty.  She really needed to start getting ready for Legacy Day and really thinking about what she was going to do.  Talking to this evil person was not going to help.  No matter what stance the character took. 

When Raven reached the gazebo, she spun around once and saw no one.  There, she tried to find this person wishing she had thought to ask the Headmaster for a description or name.  It wasn't her fault she couldn't find the evil representative.  Raven sighed and made to leave when she heard Apple's high pitch giggle.  Fear gripped Raven, but she shook her head before turning to see the other girl.  Apple would not be stupid enough to hangout around someone who had already done and embraced their evil destiny.

Raven turned and felt the blood drain from her face.

"What are you doing here?" shouted Raven, running to get Apple away from the psychopath.  Raven would recognize that fluffy white hair anywhere.  Angel might have moved in only a couple of years ago, but she already made her mark on Poison Village. 

Angel just smirked evilly at Raven and lifted her pad. _Hello Raven_.  The other teen might be mute, but Angel had a way of getting her contempt across. 

"Apple get away from her," said Raven, grabbed Apple's arm and dragging the stupid princess away from the character that had screwed up her own story so badly that she had become the evil character.

"You know each other?" asked Apple.  Raven sent her a quick glare, but then it hit her that perhaps Apple was so dense she hadn't realized she was hanging around an evil character. 

 _We're neighbors_ , wrote Angel.  That was thing about Angel.  She kept things close to the chest, but once you found out something about her, she admitted it with no hesitation and acted like it wasn't a big deal.  No matter what the discovery hinted at. 

"What are you doing here Angel?  I didn't think they'd let you out of Poison Village after what they found out you did," snapped Raven.  There was no way that Angel should be allowed out of the village after what they found out she did to not only her husband but to her twin sons. 

 _Allegedly_ , Angel wrote with a mocking air.  Raven felt her body tensing.  She could not believe the nerve of Angel.  If anyone deserved to be stuck in an evil town with the Evil Queen it was Angel.  Finally Angel pretended to give into Raven's anger. _I'm here for the same reason Petal is here for the students pledging their life to a good part in a story.  I'm here to make sure that none of the good characters try anything to any of you swearing to be evil._  

"Fine, then hang out around the ones of us that are evil.  Leave Apple and girls like her alone.  She doesn't know your real nature.  She doesn't get what evil really is," hissed Raven.  Angel suppressed a laugh and Raven felt her blood boil.  If there was ever a time when doing an evil act might be considered good, it would be in getting Angel off this earth. 

Angel finally nodded in mocking but real surrender. _I'll go get ready for tonight then_. Angel wrote for Raven.  Then Angel very purposefully turned to Apple as she wrote her next message.  Now Raven knew Angel was trying to corrupt Apple.  _It was good to meet you Apple.  Thank you for the tour._

"You're welcome," said Apple with a song. "Really Raven, what was that all about?" Raven started to pull the stupid princess away.  She could not believe that Apple couldn't see through Angel to the evil inside.  Then again, Apple was supposed to be the stupid, perfect heroine who took a poisoned apple from a suspicious old woman. 

When they were almost at the castle, Apple got her arm free and stood as if confronting Raven.  She really wasn't built to be intimidating. "What is your problem Raven?" Apple stomped her foot on the ground in a tantrum. 

"My problem?  I wasn't the one showing around a dangerous harpy." Raven found that she was almost shouting at Apple.  She tried to reel in her anger.  She didn't want to hurt Apple.  Apple had just made her so scared. 

"She didn't do anything to me Raven.  She's just as dangerous as you are," said Apple.  Raven felt the evil need to strangle Apple, but it would be pointless to kill Apple right after saving her.  Even if by killing her, Raven would be saving the future Snow White from her own stupidity.  Raven tried to remind herself that Apple just didn't really understand what it was to be evil.  She thought it was little things like breaking a mirror or killing or poisoning characters that never stayed dead.  Angel had killed and done evil that had not ended in a greater understanding or any kind of happy ending. 

"No, I want to be good.  Angel, I can't even begin to describe what she did to her..." said Raven, trying to explain the situation to Apple, but she tripped over and could not make herself say what Angel had done.  Poisoning and murder, those things were easy for Raven to swallow.  She didn't know how many dead bodies she'd come across as a child, or how many food taster had ended up dead eating her food.  But what Angel had done... the mute deserved to be burned at the stake. "You shouldn't be that reckless.  Just because you have a happy ending in your story doesn't mean that if you get mixed up with the wrong evil that you won't end up more briefly poisoned.  Angel isn't bound by our rules.  She didn't have to promise like the rest of us to not do evil while in school."

"Well of course she swore.  I met her when she was coming out of the Headmaster's office," said Apple with a roll of her eyes. Raven bit back a scream.  Why was her roommate so dense?  "And Angel didn't seem that bad."

"You don't know what she did," hissed Raven. "And if you say allegedly I will hurt you.  She did it, they just can't prove it."

"What did she do?" asked Apple, obviously getting fed up with Raven just hinting at the problem.  Raven understood.  It would be easier and clearer if Raven just said.  But she still didn't know how to tell Apple.  Raven just couldn't force herself to say it.  What Angel had done was poisonous and upsetting even thinking about.  Raven couldn't believe that the Headmaster let such a dangerous character into their school.  What was he thinking?

Then Raven remembered; the evil character in the garden, the Headmaster had hinted he let her in to talk to Raven.  That meant that the Headmaster was pressuring Raven to become more like Angel.  Raven felt bile rise to the top of her throat and she quickly sprinted away from Apple.  Thankfully the princess didn't notice seeing as she was already absorbed with her friends. 

A cool hand rubbed Raven's back and held her hair out of her face. 

"Thank you Maddie," said Raven.  She leaned back and let Maddie help her stand up.  Maddie's smile was twisted with worry.  Raven forced herself to give Maddie a shakey smile.

"Come on Raven, let's get you freshened up.  I've gotten some of our friends together to get ready for Legacy Day tonight," said Maddie, her cheerful soft.

"Who could you possibly have gotten who wanted to get ready with the future Evil Queen?" asked Raven with a roll of her eyes. 

"Other evil characters like Icy, Saba, and Blue," said Maddie, ticking off names on her gloves.  Raven looked over at her friend in shock. Not believing for a second the thing about 'friends.'

"Blue?  I didn't realize she's following in her father's footsteps.  Though, I guess, I wouldn't know if it would be worse to marry a guy who killed and kept his wives bodies on hooks as trophies or being the person who did that," said Raven, then covered her mouth.  Why would she say something like that?  And why was it so easy to say that and not what Angel had done to her family?

"Oh, she's still following in her mother's footsteps.  Mostly she's worried about her brother.  He just started Ever After High this year," said Maddie.  Raven nodded in understanding.  It seemed like no matter what she did, she was destined to end up hanging out with evil characters who did horrible things or were at least destined to: which was the same thing really in this school. 

"Hey Raven, if you like, I could not follow in my dad's footsteps.  It's not like I love tea time," said Maddie, coming to stand in front Raven and looking very supportive and serious.  Raven rolled her eyes.

"You love tea time," Raven said, pushing past her friend.  She didn't have time for a heart to heart with Madeline.  She needed to give herself a wash and then she needed to change into her clothes and hang around the few evil characters that Raven had been avoiding for the last three years.  Apple had already slipped away to join her happy group.

"Oh yeah, but I totally want to support you.  The negative Nancy's have been invading your mind and the Narrators have been arguing in your head.  I can renounce my destiny if you want.  Both Lizzie and I are going before you, and Lizzie loves being queen so she won't hear to renounce it.  I will be the birthday girl who does renounce it," said Maddie.  Raven shook her head.

"Maddie, do you want to renounce your destiny?" asked Raven.  Maddie nodded, and then shook her head, and then nodded again, and then smiled like Kitty. "I want you to be true to yourself.  I want to be true to myself.  The truth is, I can't imagine you being anyone else."

Madeline frowned and put her fists on her hips. "Are you telling me who to be now Headmistress?"

Raven blushed.

"Oh, don't be silly.  Yeah, I'm happy with my destiny, now at least.  But there's always a part of me that can't help but wonder what it would be like to have hot chocolate, or go crazy and have some coffee, instead of tea.  And instead of celebrating unbirthdays, I could celebrate birthdays.  That way I could have cakes and cookies instead of scones and cupcakes.  Those are completely different things don't you know?" demanded Maddie. Then her clock rang. "Tea time!  Finally."

As Maddie took out a tea set including the mini chair and table and started to talk to her little mouse friend.  Raven rolled her eyes, but couldn't help but smile as she went to her room.  Madeline had this way of throwing Raven off balance.  Raven washed up, the makeup slipping down her face.  The shower help calm her down and warm her up.

They made a little party of getting ready.  Raven smiled at all the other evil characters, but realized that a couple in the small crowd were neutral characters and that Cedar eventually joined them along with Hunter.  Raven let Icy secure her coif to her head, and then helped the future Snow Queen not only fit on her crown, but also secure what looked like ice drops in her black hair. 

It was a weird situation.  Raven had avoided other evil characters before today.  At least at school, and at home as well as possible.  Raven hadn't wanted to expose herself to evil characters, and her wish to be better than her mother, tended to alienate her from the rest of them apparently they thought she was 'acting better than them'.  That was why Raven had no one to hang out with.  That was how Raven had ended up paired with Icy.  Icy tended to dress oddly, and at the end of the day look like she'd been through a blizzard despite the fact she had her nose shoved in a book most of the time.  Not running around.  When Icy had come over to Raven, who had been trying to figure out how to put the coif on, she had sat Raven down and started doing her hair.  The only thing Icy said was how to do her hair in exchange.

Now Cedar was helping Raven finish Icy's hair.  Icy was staring into nothing, and Hunter had come in now that all the girls were decent.  Raven had always wondered what destiny Hunter was following.  His father had been a minor part in two stories.  He had been commanded to kill Snow White and hadn't been able to, and then he had saved Red Riding Hood from the wolf.  Was Hunter expected to be in both stories?  Or did he have a sibling who would do the one Hunter didn't?

By the time they needed to head to the cafeteria, they were all ready to go, and Raven wasn't sure what to make of their group.  Some of the evil characters embraced their destiny with open arms, but others just didn't seem to care.  Like Icy, they were just going through the motions and trying to make the best of it.  Still others, like Cedar, had no interest in being their parent's story.  Cedar seemed to be having some trouble figuring out how she was supposed to do so many stupid and irresponsible things when she hated doing anything against authority figures and was quick to agree to punishments when she thought she deserved them.  She seemed to think that carrying out her doting was a punishment in itself.

The sun was just beginning to set when they were led to the courtyard.  It had been remade so that thousands of people packed the area and a huge stage had been erected and four mirrors were floating and ready to catch the expression of the characters as they pledge their lives away.  As Raven swore she would commit and evil deed, and because she did, have her feet bound in metal shoes and forced to dance until she died.  Though Raven did have her mother to tell her the best ways to keep dancing without it killing her, and the metal would eventually become cool even if the spell to kill of exhaustion would drive her a bit mad. 

The students to pledge were lined up in the front rows facing the stage, and they would slowly move forward until it was their turn.  Raven watched as person after person swore away their life with a pledge sealed with the turning of a key.   Half the class had already gone and not one person seemed to share Raven's misgivings on blindly accepting their destiny.  Raven had a little hope when Lizzie went up that something would happen, but Raven should have known better.  Lizzie had no misgivings about her destiny.

Finally, it was Apple's turn, and Raven found herself beginning the assent up the steps so she could swear away her future.  The crowd went wild, probably over just seeing Apple, and the prospect of what their new queen could mean to them.  Raven accepted her key and started her journey to the podium and the book that would seal her fate.  She saw Apple happily skipping her way.  But then Apple seemed to see something behind Raven and she stood off to the side.  Raven glanced quickly behind her and saw that the Headmaster was following her onto the stage. 

With the two flanking her, pressuring her to follow her so called destiny, Raven knew she only had one choice.  Plus, how would she seize her own destiny?  Would she throw her key into the audience?  She already had on all the sharp clothes, and when she looked out into the crowd she heard no cheers like Apple had gotten, just felt the fearful stares of everyone she would one day hurt.

"I am Raven Queen, daughter of the Evil Queen, and I pledge, I, um..." Raven felt her throat closing up again.  To pledge her destiny away to do evil things was as impossible as telling innocent Apple what Angel did that was so terrible.  But she had to do something.  She had to make a stand one way or the other, and she had to do it now. 

"Come on now," she heard Apple say.  Raven could just imagine the expression on the future Snow White's face.  Apple wanted Raven to try and kill her.  Apple wanted to put hot shoes on her feet and send Raven away to live with evil people who would try again and again to kill her.  Wasn't that evil?  Apple wanted Raven to be like Angel.  Raven refused to be another Angel.  She wouldn't be able to stand herself if she actually hurt someone.  Because people got hurt people did.  Maybe not the main characters, but other ones would find their lives ruined and ended on Raven's supposed vanity. 

No, Raven refused be that character by choice.

"I..." once she said this, there was no going back. 

"I pledge to write my own story and be true to my real self," said Raven and then she turned the key in the lock of the book. 

Suddenly Raven found herself covered in purple magic.  Raven basked in its warmth, smiling because she suddenly felt free.  Yes, this had been the right choice.  For a moment she didn't feel like her magic could only do evil deeds and that the future was open to anything.  Even if in the next second she turned to dust.  Raven would never regret having a taste of freedom.  It was worth it.

When the magic had floated away, Raven looked over the crowd.  Everyone was looking at her in surprise, and Briar was running up the stairs toward the stage though not to strike or embrace Raven.  Raven looked behind her.  Maddie was smiling at her softly, but Apple seemed to have crumbled to the ground.  Fear crept into Raven for a moment, afraid she had killed Apple with her refusal, but Briar checked her friend and was instantly gripped hard by Apple.  The Headmaster looked up from where he was trying to counsel Apple.  For a second Raven felt like the Evil Queen she had been told she was destined to be.

Then Raven turned and left the stage, her fists clenched at her side.  It was like she couldn't be good.  If she followed her mother's footsteps she made everyone miserable and was so evil that she was sentenced to suffer intense pain the rest of her life then she was doing the right thing.  But if she rejected her destiny then she was evil because she destroyed Apple's Happily Ever After.  It wasn't fair.

No, the expectations others put on her might not be fair, but then again, when had life ever been fair?  Raven had been born to the Evil Queen as a sickly child who had little chance of surviving.  Her father and stepfather were dead, and Raven's mother only kept her will to live by doing evil things to other evil people.  Raven had been burned by her own clothes, had assassins make it all the way to her room before the guards found them, kidnapped, and poisoned.  But Raven had lived, and she'd grown up hoping to better herself and help people.  She hadn't let her past change who she was on the inside. Why should she let her destiny do it?

Raven hadn't let the evil in her life pervert her.  She certainly wasn't going to let supposedly good people force her to be evil either.  She had her own destiny to follow, and if characters like Apple really were good people, then they wouldn't need Raven to be evil in order for them to be good.  Apple would just have to make her own happy ending.  She was going to be queen because her mother was queen, and she was going to get her Prince Charming because she was already unofficially dating him.  Maybe she wouldn't have her mother's fairy tale story, but that didn't mean Apple couldn't write her own story.  Just like Raven was going to.

"Good job Raven," said Maddie.  Raven turned to her friend and then looked up at the podium in shock as Cedar swore to follow her own path.  Character after character started to seize their own destinies, repeating Raven's own words.  Not everyone, but enough to make Raven feel like, for the first time, that she wasn't alone in the world.  Others felt like her.

"Thank you," said Ashlynn quietly. Raven looked at her in shock before nodding to Cedar in understanding. "We're having a party at my room tonight.  All us Rebels and those that support us.  You'll be there right?"

Raven felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. "Yes."

A thousand times yes.  For the first time in years Raven felt like her life was on the right path.  She had taken a hold of her life and now she was the writer of her own destiny. 


	3. Royal

_You sure about this?_ Wrote Angel as Apple led the other girl to the room the future Snow White shared with Raven.  Apple nodded, though she was unable to look over at the evil character and her stomach had started to twist itself into knots. 

But no, Apple knew she was doing the right thing. Plus, it wasn't like she was doing anything wrong.  Angel was a known evil character and there were bound to be problems and consequences to letting her on the grounds of the school.  And Apple was just doing the responsible thing by using an evil character to a good end.

Once Apple had given herself a second to really think about it, and got over the initial sense of betrayal she had felt over Ashlynn's choice to be a Rebel, she realized why the future Cinderella might have turned rebel.  Like most characters, Ashlynn's story dictated that her mother and father die, while Apple was sure that didn't actually have to happen and for them it would be a more symbolic thing, she understood Ashlynn's fear.  So Apple had asked Angel if there was any way she could get Ashlynn's story going without her losing her parents.  Angel had said yes, that she even knew the children of the wicked stepsisters and could probably work it so that Ashlynn's story started right away.  Ashlynn would get her happy ending without her parents' death. 

"This needs to happen," said Apple with conviction. "Once the Rebels see that the stories are going ahead like normal, they'll realize what their destinies are and not be scared by then."

_With a little push from you_ , wrote Angel.  Apple felt a little uncomfortable at that.

"But you're the one who's being her evil um," Apple wasn't sure what Angel was.  Was she a witch?  Raven had called Angel a harpy, but Angel didn't have any wings or claws. 

Apple glanced over at Angel to see the other teen smiling almost serenely.  Apple was starting to think that Raven was right about how dangerous Angel was.  When Apple had asked her to make sure Ashlynn's story happened.  Angel had looked shocked for a moment, and then her gaze had become distant.  Apple actually started to doubt her idea.  Was she actually asking someone evil to do some act against her friend?  Was this a mistake?

But then Angel had nodded and said that while it might take some time for her to get everything in order, she could do it.  The only thing Angel asked in exchange was that she could take something from Apple's dorm room.  The price seemed reasonable, and Apple needed her friend to get her happily ever after, so she had agreed and started leading Angel toward her room.  It would be okay.  Angel already had her story and nothing could be worse than Ashlynn turning to dust.    

The closer they got to her room, however, the more nervous Apple felt.  Angel wasn't what Apple had expected an evil person to be.  Well, obviously or Apple would have spotted the evil character for what she was that morning.  At least Angel almost looked the part of an evil character with the stark contrast of white and black to the outfit she now wore. 

Still, Angel smiled and acted kindly.  Apple expected that from Raven, the future Evil Queen was confused about who she needed to be.  But real evil characters should smirk, and glare, they should ooze evil from any smile and their eyes should be filled with the lust of power.  Angel's smile sometimes took on a mischievous edge, and she was rather unabashed about being found out as evil, but her expression was open and her demeanor delicate.  Even now, when she was planning on how to ruin a good girl's life, she just looked around her surroundings in open curiosity as if her mind were filled with thoughts of fluffy animals and helping friends.

It was actually really creepy. 

"So, um, Raven couldn't quite tell me why you were evil," said Apple. "You said you were in an original story right?

_I wasn't the daughter of a story book character, but I was acting out a story that had repeated sporadically through past Once Upon a Time's_ , wrote Angle.  Apple read it, confusion rolling over her.  What did Angel mean that she was in a story that repeated?  At least the Evil Queen had gone on her rampage.  That was only possible with the children of the characters that already were a part of the story.  That was why Ever After High had been started by Headmaster Grimm.  The stories needed to happen, and the children of the fairytale creatures before them needed to swear that they would act out their destinies.  Otherwise there would be no more happily ever afters or stories again. _Is this your room?_

"Yes, right, let me just get my key," said Apple.  She reached into her purse and got her dorm key.  For a moment she felt her chest tighten as she remembered the fiasco that night, but she beat it back.  She, Apple White, was going to fix this.  She was going to be the next Snow White and Ashlynn was going to be the next Cinderella.

The door creaked open and Angel bowed, signaling to Apple that she should go in her room first.  Once again, a stab of fear twisted in Apple's heart, but she reminded herself that Angel was under oath that while the evil character was on the grounds of the school she wouldn't do any evil. 

The room was dark, but Apple found the light switch and soon her side of the room was as bright and cheerful as ever.  Apple skipped in, breathing in the calming scent of the perfume she sprayed on her side of the room.  The smell reminded her of home. 

When Apple turned around, she saw that Angel had moved to Raven's side of the room.  Apple felt her heart beat a little faster when she realized that Angel was going through Raven's things.  Apple had thought that Angel would take something from her, not Raven.  The future Snow White remembered that Angel had written that they were neighbors.  Maybe Angel was trying to use something against Raven.  Evil characters probably weren't nice to each other in the Poison Village.  There were no nice people to go after in Poison Village, that was the point. 

But Apple didn't say anything.  Angel had asked to take one thing from Apple's dorm room.  Apple should have listened to Raven and remembered that dealing with Angel was dealing with an evil character.  Apple's mother had always warned that evil characters had this way of twisting words and making agreements that they then found loopholes in, and some plan that had appeared innocent then became sinister with just a simple twist of words. 

While Angel strolled through the dark half of Apple's room, she cast a quick glance Apple's way.  Angel seemed almost shocked to see that Apple was watching her so intently.  Angel smiled and strolled across and wrote something on her pad.

_Are you okay?_ wrote Angel.  Apple tensed and shrugged. _Do you want to call off the trade?  I would understand._

"No," said Apple.  Angel had already been in the room.  Apple had gone too far to go back on this.  Angel stared at her, actually looking concerned.  Finally she sighed and went over to Raven's side and plucked a hairbrush from the bureau. 

_Will it be too much trouble if I take the brush_? asked Angel.  Apple shook her head.  She really wanted to know what Angel planned on doing with the brush, but she didn't dare ask. _May I ask a question?_

"Yes, of course," said Apple, forcing herself to smile.  She was a queen.  She had to be diplomatic.  Apple dealt with Raven every day.  The only difference between Raven and Angel was that Angel accepted that she was evil. 

_You have blonde hair.  Are you really Snow White's daughter?_ asked Angel.  Apple found herself blushing down to her roots.  She twisted her hands together nervously.  She hated this question.  Her hair was the one thing that didn't fit the stories.  Apple had once dyed her hair black, but Briar had said it made her look like an evil queen, and she looked horrible in black. 

"All my ancestors had blonde hair.  The only reason my mom's was black was because of the prophesy or whatever.  So yeah, I'm blonde, but that doesn't mean I can't be Snow White," said Apple, her voice becoming louder as she talked.  Angel backed up, hands up as if she was disarmed. "Sorry, it's touchy subject.  Anyway, are you going to..?"

Apple cut off from saying more when two chapped lips brushed up against hers. Apple gasped and put her gloves over her mouth. She had been saving that kiss for when her prince charming would kiss her awake.  True love's first kiss and all of that.  Though, did it count when it was a girl that kissed her?  Apple had given and gotten a few kisses from her girlfriends, but they were always cheek or air kisses. 

"Why did you do that?" said Apple, her hands still covering her mouth as she watched Angel carefully.  Angel lifted her pad and tapped the screen.

_The deal is sealed_ , the note said.  Apple let out a sigh of relief, her hands falling from her mouth.  Of course, that kiss didn't count because it was a deal sealer.  A lot of fairy tale creatures and people used this as a viable way to seal deals. 

"Why didn't you just seal it with magic?" said Apple with a roll of her eyes.

_I have no magic of my own_.  _That's why I carry around so many potions,_ wrote Angel.  She wandered over past Apple and ran her finger on Apple's mirror over her desk.  She then turned around. Apple's eyes immediately looked to make sure that her brush was still in place, and sighed in relief when she saw it.  She then smiled widely at Angel. 

"But a kiss works fine?"

_It does when my lipstick is charged with magic_ , wrote Angel.  Apple had to physically stop herself from reaching up to touch her lips.  If Angel had planned on poisoning or killing her, than there would have been better times and ways to go around doing it.  _I should get going._

"Oh, yes, you must be so tired," said Apple, briskly walking over to Angel and holding her shoulder. "Come on, I'll walk you to your room."

Angel just shook her head and started writing again.  _I'm leaving tonight._

"Oh, well, you have to get your stuff," said Apple.  Angel's expression became almost regretful, and she started writing again.

_I packed light.  My traveling clothes fit into my tot,_ the note said. 

"But I can still escort you down to  the gates," Apple insisted. Angel briefly squeezed Apple's shoulder.

_I thought I was making you uncomfortable_.  Apple sighed.

"I'm not prejudice against evil characters.  My roommate is evil after all," said Apple perkily.  It felt like there were thorns squeezing around her heart.

_Not according to her_ , Angel wrote.  Apple gasped and then looked at ground. She felt tears entering her eyes.  Angel was suddenly there.  She had a musky smell and Apple found herself hugging Angel back besides her better judgment.  Still, just because someone was an evil character, didn't mean she should immediately hate them and push them away.  They were an important part of someone's story, even if it wasn't hers.  _I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to press any buttons._

"It's alright.  I'm working to make it all better again," said Apple.  The future queen then smiled up at Angel.  Angel nodded in agreement and then headed to the window.  Apple gasped and followed her.  The blonde found herself wishing that Angel wouldn't leave. It was strange.  Angel might be evil, but Apple couldn't help but find herself drawn to the other teen. "I'll see you at graduation right?"

Angel smiled and gave Apple a quick kiss on the cheek.  Then she walked back toward the window.  Suddenly the outer dress Angel was wearing fluttered and spread wide.  Apple gasped and her hands sprang to cover her mouth.  Angel had wings.  That must have been why Raven called her a harpy.  The evil teen tossed herself out the window and then glided down to the ground.  When she landed she turned back and waved up at Apple. Apple waved back.

Apple yawned.  It had been a long day.  There was music playing somewhere in the castle, but while Apple had pledge her life to her story, there was still a chance she could disappear and never get her happily ever after.  But as soon as Raven got back on the right path, then Apple would get Briar to throw the biggest party of the century. 

Until then, Apple would wait and plan.  She would make sure that her land was taken care of.  It was clear that Raven's dangerous ideas were getting everyone in trouble. 

As Apple turned to get her nightgown out of her bureau.  She paused, one lone, white feather was on the floor.  Apple bent and picked it up.  Apple stared at the white feather and then the feathered started to shake uncontrollably.  What was going on, was it some sort of evil spell?  A water drop fell onto the feather, and Apple realized that she was crying again.  Apple wiped at her face angrily. 

No more crying.  Apple had had enough breakdowns for one day.  This was supposed to be the happiest day ever.  And one day it would be.  One day Apple would look back on this day and see just how far and how much she had accomplished in so little time. 

The covers felt nice against Apple's skin as she slipped under the silky covers.  It wasn't long before she had drifted asleep, Angel's white feather clasped in her hands. 

When Apple woke up it was with the sunrise.  Apple pushed herself up, her bones creaking as she did so.  The future queen blinked the sleep from her eyes and tried to remember why there might be a huge white feather crushed under her hands in her bed. 

With a quick roll, Apple was out of bed and speed walking to her desk.  She quickly hid the feather away.  Raven would be angry with her if she saw the feather, and Apple needed to be able to get on Raven's good side.  She would become Raven's best friend.  It wasn't enough that Apple had been nice enough to converse with her and request her as a roommate and even did up her side of the room.  That clearly wasn't enough.  Raven was feeling neglected, and Apple was now going to make sure that Raven knew just how much it meant to Apple that the other girl follow her destiny and even how much it would mean to Raven in the end.

Apple sang and the birds all sang back to her song.  Apple smiled and opened her arms to let the sun soak into her.  Raven groaned and Apple giggled and rolled her eyes.  Usually she would respect Raven's decision to sleep in and miss classes.  That was a very basic evil thing to do.  Detention actually split between the evil characters who had been late to class and caused excess trouble, and those characters of good standing who had to help some forlorn soul on their way to class. 

But Apple needed Raven in classes so the other girl would learn to be evil.  And anyway, no matter how late Raven woke up, it always seemed like she was able to make it to her first class in the nick of time. 

A general feeling of foreboding tried to overwhelm Apple as she walked over to Raven's side of the room.  Seeing as Raven was evil, the foreboding feeling made sense, but Apple was afraid it was something else twisting her guts.  

 When Apple touched Raven the other teen grumbled and turned away.  Apple wondered when Raven had come back from the party the night before.  The evil queen to be had been so quiet that Apple had slept through her coming back.  Which was totally wrong.  Raven wasn't supposed to act like a conscientious roommate.  Raven was supposed to be ill-mannered and Apple was supposed to be the cheerfully put upon good princess. 

It had all been wrong, since the beginning everything had been wrong.  Apple hadn't really paid enough attention to Raven to see that something had gone wrong.  That Raven's mother hadn't been there for the future evil queen like she should have been, and because of this  Raven hadn't grown up with enough evil in her heart.  Someone should have realized that Raven was questioning her path before this.  They had all neglected Raven.  Apple might have the best excuse: she was the good princess who got rescued.  She had always said something nice to Raven, but that was because she was just a nice person to everyone despite what was going on. 

Still, Raven was an important fixture in her story, and if anyone deserved Apple's attention, then it was the person who, in her own special way, led to the future queen's happily ever after. 

Raven needed Apple's guidance.  Apple had been told by the Headmaster to help Raven, but Apple had gotten so absorbed in Legacy Day and working with Maddie as Co-Presidents, that Apple had only done the minimum to convince Raven of what she needed to do.

"Wake up Raven," sang Apple.  Raven groaned and said a mild swear as she tried to burry herself in the covers.  Apple just smiled.  She might be a wonderful, naive, and innocent princess, that did not mean she was an idiot.  Apple knew that Raven hated to hear Apple sing.  Maybe it was because Raven couldn't sing herself.  Apple had only heard the other teen try a couple of times, but Raven had always been so soft that she had almost been impossible to hear. "Raven, only fifteen minutes to get ready and eat before class."

Suddenly Raven jumped out of bed and sprinted for her closest.  Apple decided that her good deed was done and that she would get more occasions later to do nice things for Raven and to gain the other teens love and trust.  At the moment, Raven would be too busy trying to primp for the day, and Apple knew from experience that Raven would not let Apple help her get ready for the day.  When Raven was running late she had a certain routine she had worked out and any attempt by Apple to help would only trip the evil queen up and then Apple wouldn't see her roommate except in short bursts for the next week.

Apple threw her purse with all the books she needed for the day over her shoulder.  Thankfully none of her teachers had assigned her homework for the day.  Not even Rumpelstiltskin had. 

"Hey, Apple, how are you doing girl?" asked Briar.  Appearing from the air and handing over a banana.

"You are a lifesaver Briar," said Apple as she peeled the banana.  "I'm starving."

"Yeah, I'm always really hungry when..." Briar trailed off and Apple decided the best course was to pretend that Briar hadn't said anything. "Anyway, you missed a killer party last night.  Daring really missed you, but Blondie was able to distract Duchess.  Everyone missed you."

"I just needed to think Briar.  I realized that I've been neglected Raven, that's why all this happened," said Apple with conviction.  Briar turned to her with a raise of her eyebrow. 

"You do realize that most characters in school interact with their evil counterparts as little as possible? If anything, being so close together is kinda unheard of," said Briar.  Apple eyebrows furrowed.

"But what else can I do?" asked Apple.

"You could annoy her into becoming evil," said Briar.

"What?" asked Apple.

"Not that you're annoying," assured Briar hastily. "But think about it.  If you irritate and antagonize her than maybe she'll hate you enough that she'll want to poison you."

"Well, I don't know..." said Apple hesitantly. "What if I introduce her to other evil characters?"

"How is that going to help?  A lot of the Rebels are characters who are supposed to be evil, and the rest are ones Raven has publically yelled at and rejected.  Most of characters she had been hanging around when she wasn't off on her own are neutral characters like Madeline. But come on Apple, you really shouldn't be worrying about things like this.  We have our entire lives to finish our stories.  Now we need to live life to the fullest while we can.  You really missed a stellar party last night, but no worry, I'm having one tonight to make up for the one you missed," said Briar.  Apple rolled her eyes.  Briar would come up with any excuse to throw a party.

As they got to class, the entire room went silent.  All eyes turned to Briar and Apple.  All put two.  Apple felt her face turn red and she glared.  Daring flinched, obviously thinking that the glare was meant for him.  But Apple's irritation wasn't directed at him. 

Before Apple went to confront Duchess, she regained her composure, taking in a deep calming breath before she went to confront the infuriating princess.  Really Duchess could be so infuriating.  How could she fawn over Daring the way she did?   Daring already loved Apple.  Duchess could only end up loving a  prince who had never loved before.  So why did she continue to go after Daring?

"Hello Duchess," said Apple.  The teen jumped a little.  The two girls that always flanked her, who Apple swore were the evil step sister's from Ashlynn's story, sniffed at Apple and tried to get in the future queen's way.  But Apple had learned a lot from watching and studying her mother unobtrusive ways to get past people who blocked her way without being rude. 

Apple slipped past Duchess's guards.  Daring smiled at her, his eyes asking for forgiveness and thanking her for saving him.  Apple gave him a lingering hug as she sat down and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Hello Apple, feeling better after you're breakdown yesterday?" taunted Duchess.

"Apple, mi'lady, I missed you last night," said Daring. "The party just wasn't the same without you by my side."

"Would you accompany me to Briar's party tonight?" asked Apple grandly, fluttering her eyelashes in an exaggerated fashion.

"My dear, I couldn't imagine doing anything else," said Daring gallantly, giving a fleeting kiss to the back of Apple's hand.  Daring was the one who turned to Duchess then, and with a sincere smile he addressed there. "See, Duchess, I told you I already had a date tonight."

Apple glanced over to see Duchess turning a deep shade of red in her anger.  It was almost comical to see the soon to be swan getting so angry that her shoulders tightened, her fists clenching into fists, and her face turning tomato red. Finally Duchess stomped her foot in irritation and left, her two minions following behind her.  Really, Apple should have had Angel start Duchess's instead.  Duchess acted like an evil queen more than Raven did.  Apple didn't understand how Duchess was at the top of their class.

Miss North than came into the classroo.  They were continuing on their lecture of home needing to be kept in the heart of all good characters and how it would help them through the tribulations.  Apple ended up tuning her out and staring at her not boyfriend.

Daring was looking at his face and fixing his hair in his mirror.  If there was one thing that Duchess did for Apple, it usually put Daring into the position of being romantic to her in order to get Duchess away.  Daring just clung to Apple, being more physically romantic than he usually was sans the kisses.  Daring even started speaking in verbose romantic speech.

It was odd.  Apple always felt empty after they stopped acting overly affectionate.  Sometimes Apple felt like they were accessories for each other.  Daring wasn't so much her not boyfriend as the perfect prince she put on her arm to finish up her outfit and catch any light of popularity that she herself didn't already attract.  And sometimes she felt like Daring only called her his not girlfriend because he was too nice to say otherwise, and he looked better, his own looks enhanced by her.

Apple knew that she was being paranoid.  Daring wouldn't just put up with, that's what he did with Duchess and he was always upfront with her that he wasn't interested.  Duchess just refused to listen to him.  She even accused him from time to time of leading her on.  Apple usually just felt sorry for the delusional girl.

"Hey Apple." The future queen jumped as a hand wrapped around  her shoulder.  She snapped her head to see Ashlynn.  A frog seemed to jump down Apple's throat, first making it hard for Apple to breathe and then appearing to clog up her chest and make her breath seem hard to catch a breath. "Can we talk while going to Fairy Tales?"

"Um," Apple glanced over at Daring.  He looked at his arm for a second and then looked down at where Apple was still sitting.  He smiled at Apple and nodded at her as if he understood that she needed some private time to talk to Ashlynn and headed down the stairs and out the door. "Of course Ashlynn, I'd be thrilled.  We haven't had much time to hang out one on one."

"I understand.  I mean, you and Briar have always been Best Fairytale Friend, and this will be the last time you two will be able to hang out," said Ashlynn. "We'll have plenty of time to hang out if she falls asleep."

"If?" asked Apple.  Briar suddenly went past the two down as if skateboarding over the desks.  She let out a cry and ran face first into the floor.  She was up in a moment and yelling at the top her lungs in triumph out of the door. 

"Well, not if, I guess she did swear to sleep until her prince kisses her like her mother," said Ashlynn.

"But you didn't swear," said Apple, picking up her books.  It wouldn't look good for The future Snow White to be late.  She had to act like the queen she was soon to be, and queen's did not skip out or come late to their responsibilities. 

"No," said Ashlynn with a sigh, clasping her books to her chest and making it a point not to look in Apple's direction. "Please understand Apple.  It's not because I hate you or my mother.  I did it because... if I walked my mother's path, I would never get my happily never after, not really."

"Why?" asked Apple, grabbing Ashlynn's arm and stopping her.  Class and events were all good, and Apple should never skip or be late to one when she was queen, unless it was important.  This was important.  More important than classes.  This was Ashlynn's destiny.  If Ashlynn didn't get it together and follow her mother's path, than she would disappear.  Apple wasn't losing her friend that way.

Ashlynn still refused to meet Apple's eyes.  Even though she had stopped, Ashlynn looked off to the side and bit her lip. 

"Is it because you think you're mother and father are going to die?  That isn't true, my mother said they have this way of carrying out the fairy tales without hurting any of the parents of the main characters," said Apple.  Ashlynn started shaking her head, and then she blew up, words pouring from her mouth.

"Then who am I supposed plant my branch over?  Who am I supposed to pray and cry over?  Am I just supposed to take someone's abuse with no questions asked?" asked Ashlynn.  Apple couldn't find any words to say to the confused girl. "I'm in love with Hunter."

"What?" asked Apple, taking her friends' hand in her own. Ashlynn looked a little confused.

"You look happy for me," said Ashlynn with a breathy voice.  Apple gave Ashlynn a hug.

"Of course I am," said Apple. "You're my friend Ashlynn, and I want you to be happy.  I also don't want you to turn into dust."

Ashlynn smiled uncertainly.  It was obvious she still had things to say, but was holding back.

"Anyway, we need to get to class.  You'll be there at Briar's party tonight, right?  I missed the one last night," said Apple.  Ashlynn looked guilty for a second before nodding.

"I got this killer inventory just today.  How about we go and pick some shoes out after class?" asked Ashlynn.  Apple giggled.

"That sounds wonderful.  You mind if I tell the girl's about it?" asked Apple.

"Not at all.  We'll of course have to wear what we're going to wear to the party," she said, starting to walk toward the classroom.  The second bell rang, signaling that they should already be in class, but Apple knew it had been worth it.  Yes, Ashlynn's choice not to follow her mother's story still felt like a betrayal of some kind, but she was still Apple's friend. 

As Apple walked with Ashlynn to class, she felt like things might work out.  It was just puppy love that was making Ashlynn question her destiny.  There was a chance that Angel's interfering could somehow make it so Hunter ended up being Ashlynn's Prince Charming, but Apple seriously doubted it.  No, what Ashlynn felt for Hunter probably wasn't love, not really.  Maybe she thought it was love.  It was because they were getting so confused.

Angel would fix this and soon things would be as they were supposed to. 

But until then Apple would support Ashlynn.  There was no reason to hurt Ashlynn.  The poor girl had just gotten caught by her emotions and Raven's Rebels.  Everything would go back to how it was supposed to.  Apple just had to act like the queen she had always been meant to be.  She would lead her subjects in the right path, and all the stories would come true.

Apple and Ashlynn were given leeway.  It turned out that quite a few students were skipping, late, or sleeping class.  Really, Apple didn't understand why they had done the ceremony on a Wednesday.  Most students had spent the night partying, and those that hadn't probably hadn't gotten that much sleep, especially after the excitement of the night before.

"Student, may I have your attention," said Headmaster Grimm over the intercom.  Everyone looked up. "After the events of last night it has come to my attention that we haven't been making it clear how important our destinies are.  Those students who have identified themselves as Rebels, you're schedule has changed and you will have one slot for weekly therapy groups where you will talk together and with Royals about your worries and reasons for abandoning you're destiny.  You may also be asked to meet with a school counselor on an one on one basis.  Any students who feel they need some to see a counselor to discuss your feelings and work out any anxiety over students rejecting their destinies may also sign up with their counselor on a one to one counseling session as well.  Through Friday there will be some drastic changes and rules to follow.  Soldiers from various families will be loaned to the school and will be found patrolling not only the classrooms but also the dormitories.  No one is allowed to leave the castle, and no parties will be thrown, and every character will be in their dorms by eight o'clock sharp.  The soldiers will be here later today to enforce those rules. There is also a mandatory School Assembly this Friday where more information will be made available to you.  No one is excused from it and attendance will be taken. Have a nice day."

And if nothing else, then the parents and teachers who supported them would make sure that nothing horrible happened to any characters at Ever After High.  Apple sighed in relief.  She wasn't in this fight alone.  She had to remember that most students were Royals, and that all the teachers supported the Royals, there was no way that they wouldn't get every character back on the right path. 

 


	4. Rebel

Raven had only been to a couple of parties during her time at Ever After High. She didn't like them. They always reminded her of the balls her mother would throw. Obviously the parties at the school weren't anything like the ones in the Poison Village. Those balls were full of evil characters that were constantly trying to stab each other in the back and poisoning the punch. Raven had spied on them, hiding in a dark corner and watching it all in the hopes that she would see someone try something evil on her mother. To watch as they fall apart. 

Nothing ever happened that Raven had to worry anything about. She hadn't really watched the parties because she wanted to protect her mom or even be a part of the party. At parties there were things that the guests were excepted to do, poison their host, take each other into dark corners to form loose alliances or kill each other. The one that had Raven hiding away was that every time Raven got kidnapped by one of the guests' men. 

This party was definitely different. While a few of the teens were of evil origin, the general feel of the room was of excited joy. No one was planning on how to take out competition and keep their everyone on their toes. 

It was just weird. Raven had been to Briar's parties that year, mostly the study ones, or ones that Maddie dragged her to, but Raven had always been able to quickly disappear into the corner or become just another face. No one really noticed or paid her any attention. This was so much more different. 

Now everyone wanted to talk to the supposed to be Future Evil Queen. They congratulated her and shoved drinks into her hands as they swung to the beat and tried to talk over the music. Cedar nervously chatted to whoever she found herself around. Nervously saying why she choose to be a Rebel. Everyone seemed excited that they were going against the rules, and most seemed to genuinely be interested in writing their own stories. They listened to the other person's reason for writing their own stories and then happily tried to put into words why they had chosen the Rebel path. 

Raven couldn't believe that all this was happening. For so long she had thought that she was the only one who really protested her destiny. She had heard characters complain about their destinies from time to time, but they never seemed too serious about their irritation. Mild irritation at ones destiny did not mean that they would completely reject and go against the very reason they were at the school their parents sent them to.

Eventually Raven was able to sneak away into another dorm room that hadn't been taken over. As Raven looked around, she realized that not everyone at the party were the ones who had sworn to write their own destinies. Some were underclassmen, who the school would probably now label as Rebels also. Raven wondered what being a named Rebel would do to some of these kids. She wondered what it mean for her. 

It was one thing when Raven was hinting at a dissatisfaction with her legacy. It was a completely different thing to go against everything that the school stood for and drag other impressionable students down with them. Raven knew there would be consequences when she did it, but even when Cedar and the rest had gotten together to get ready for Legacy Day, she hadn't believed that they would follow her lead. 

Raven was in deep trouble. 

Finally Raven was able to force herself past all the partiers, a couple of who looked like characters who had sworn to follow in their parent's footsteps. Raven had thought that the Royals would have their own party, but maybe Raven had hurt Apple so bad that they were all turning in early. 

No, that couldn't be it. Briar would not give up throwing a party no matter what. The other character was completely focused on living it up before she had to fall asleep. Of course, maybe Briar had moved the party to the Rebels. The next Sleeping Beauty might have pledged herself with all the students before Raven, but it was clear that Briar had no real interest in her own story. She was too rambunctious to ever sit still or want to sleep for one hundred years. 

But no, Briar was loyal to Apple. They were best friends. Briar wouldn't abandon Apple when it was clear the future queen was distraught. At least, Apple didn't think she would. 

"Raven!" Raven turned around in shock. Apparently the room she entered wasn't as empty as she originally thought. It was very dark. The music was playing loudly in the background and made the floor pulse, it was surprising that anyone could sleep through it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," said Raven in a whisper. A lamp sprang on and the first thing Raven did was call herself was an idiot. Of course it was two people sneaking off to make out. Though the way Ashlynn's skirt was ruffled and strap undone from her shoulder. It was clear that something more was going on. "Ashlynn? Hunter?"

"Um," Hunter was wiping at his mouth. Ashlynn glanced over at him and then Raven. She looked scared to death. 

"Please Raven," said Ashlynn, running to the supposed to be Evil Queen and holding her hands tight. "I couldn't follow my mother's footsteps, Hunter isn't a prince. If they find out that I turned down my destiny for him... I don't know what they would do to him. Did you hear what my mother did to her stepsisters after she became queen?"

"I thought it was the birds that did that," said Raven, trying to get Ashlynn off her arms. Her grip was cutting off circulation to her arms. 

"Yeah, birds that were born from my grandmother's tree," said Ashlynn. Hunter came to Raven's aid, walking behind his girlfriend and transferring her vice like grip to himself as he drew her into a tight hug. 

"And my father isn't known for being the most reasonable man," said Hunter. Raven looked between the two. Ashlynn looked guilty and scared as she looked between Hunter and Raven. Hunter looked protective of Ashlynn, giving her a slight squeeze and seeming to try and mold his girlfriend into himself. 

"I won't tell anyone," promised Raven and then chuckled. "It would be kind of hypocritical of me."

"Thank you," said Ashlynn, throwing her arms around Raven's neck. Raven pushed her away from her, gently but firmly. "I know, as thank you we can go see the animals together. I heard you like to sing with the doves that come to Apple's song. You know, those really aren't your type of birds."

"What?" asked Raven, crossing her arms in irritation. "Should I sing with bats and owls?" 

"No, silly," said Ashlynn with a roll of her eyes and a giggle. "I think you should sing with Nightingales and Canaries. They would match your voice better."

"You've never heard me sing before," said Raven, feeling her hackles rise. Characters were always pairing her with sinister things. While a nightingale might not be an owl or a bat, it did have its own sort of sinister sound to its name.

"The birds have, and I listen to what they sing back to me. Believe me, I'm the person you want to talk if you want woodland creatures to come and enhance your song. How do you think Apple got the doves to follow her every move so closely?" asked Ashlynn. "Anyway, we should get back to the party."

Raven allowed herself to be dragged back into the crowd of people. It wasn't ideal, but Raven couldn't turn Ashlynn down. The other character would need plenty of support. Not many of the rebels would understand why Ashlynn with her perfect fairytale ending had gone against her wonderful destiny, and Apple especially would be furious at the betrayal. There was a good chance that Ashlynn would soon lose all her friends. 

When the party finally ended, it was only a couple of hours before classes started. Raven yawned. Why did Legacy has to happen in the middle of the week? No one would be able to do anything tomorrow, well, today. 

When Raven had finally made her way back to her dorm room, she found that Apple was already asleep. Raven walked over carefully to the royal's side of the room. Apple was almost completely covered by her by her covers when usually the future Snow White had a habit of kicking off the heavier covers and leaving only the sheets to cover her. Now the princess was completely covered in her heavy sheets, only the tips of her blonde hair visible. Worse of all, Apple hadn't slept in her usually fashion. Most of the time Apple slept on her back, legs stretched out and arms folded over her chest after she had kicked off her blankets. It was important to Apple that she at least ended up in that position seeing as it was apparently very important to the future queen that she get the sleeping part of her story right. 

Apple hiding under her covers in a ball was just wrong. Raven sighed and turned away from her roommate. Raven was glad to see that Apple had returned to their room. The way the blonde was sleeping was worrying, but less so than if the future queen hadn't returned to the room at all. This way Raven knew Apple was safe. If one thing would haunt Raven, it was the expression on Apple's face after Raven had promised to write her own story. 

If there was anything that would ever make Raven feel that she really was the villain that everyone seemed to want her to be was the look on Apple's face. Raven wasn't sure how she was going to face Apple after this. Maybe she could avoid the future queen, or maybe she could trade rooms with Lizzie. Lizzie was a Royal after all.

By the time Raven finally curled up in bed, she had decided that the best thing to do was skip classes at least for a day. It would have two benefits. Raven would seem to be still evil in mind by skipping classes that were meant to brainwash her into being an evil queen. Also Raven wouldn't have to deal with teachers looking at her in disappointment and their barbs about her choices. 

It was stupid. Raven was a good students. Even in her evil classes she got good grades. She was polite and didn't disturb class. She did her work and supported school functions, though she wasn't a part of any formal clubs seeing as she had been laughed out of singing club. 

Within moments Apple was singing at her. Raven groaned and turned away, but Apple just kept on singing. Something about there only being fifteen minutes before class started. Raven shot out of bed and immediately started getting ready for the day. She threw on her dress and splashed her face with water. She needed to remember to take a long bath later that day. 

It was almost until Raven had reached her first class that she realized what she was doing. Even when Apple was apparently trying to be nice she messed up Raven's plans. Raven stopped in the hallway. Why had Apple tried to help her? Raven had just crushed all her dreams. Raven was one of the most, if not the most, important person to Apple's story. Without Raven, Apple would never go through her trial and come out with the prince who would give Apple her happily ever after. At least, that was what Apple believed. 

So there had to be some reason that Apple had woken her up.

"Raven Queen." And there it was. Raven sighed and squared her shoulders and turned to face Headmaster Grimm who was stampeding in her direction. "You will not be attending classes today."

"Am I expelled?" demanded Raven. 

"No," said the Headmaster between gritted teeth. He took Raven's upper arm in a firm grip. Raven winced. His grip was tight enough to bruise her. A flash of purple sparked through Raven's body. The Headmaster quickly let go of Raven before her magic could harm him. "You are obviously disturbed. Throwing you out of school would not only be doing you a disservice but anyone in your story could be hurt by your insistence on avoiding your destiny. We must help guide you on the right path. But that doesn't mean you aren't going to be punished. Unfortunately what you and your Rebel friends did was so extreme that the punishment is going to hurt the Royals to."

"What?" asked Raven, her voice cracking as she stopped moving. The Headmaster turned on her, his face turning red. 

"This is the consequences of your actions Raven. We as teachers and mentors cannot allow you to not only destroy yourself but your fellow characters," the Headmaster took a deep breath in and was obviously trying to calm himself. "We will help you Raven. No matter how frustrating your actions become, we will help you realize and achieve your destiny."

"How can I destroy my fellow characters by choosing to be a good person?" asked Raven.   
"Raven, you are an evil person. It is in your nature. By being evil you help elevate the good characters," said the Headmaster. "Don't you see Raven, the most evil thing you could do is..."

"Oh you found her Headmaster," said Baba Yaga, the old hag seeming to appear from nowhere. "Hello dear, are you ready for our meeting?"

"Meeting?" Raven asked. The Headmaster hadn't said anything about a meeting. 

"Of course dear," said the counselor. She cackled and grabbed Raven's wrist. "Come on we have much to talk about before your sent to the dungeons."

"Dungeons?" asked Raven with a small gasp. The old woman cackled. 

"Well of course dear. After what you did what did you expect is to do?" asked Baba Yaga. Raven clenched her fists.

"I don't know, maybe respect my decision to be good?" snapped Raven, trying to keep up with the old woman. The old woman cackled and the air around them seemed to snap and suddenly they found themselves in the old woman's counseling room. At least this time there were none of Raven's friends and acquaintances to harass her about being too friendly. No, just the old evil woman who patrolled the woods and ate helpless children unless they accomplished impossible tasks. 

"Raven, you are in a school that specifically trains young men and women to follow in their parent's footsteps," said Baba Yaga. She set her broom in the air and with a quick sweep to get rid of her footsteps, she was floating in the air. "You will get in trouble for breaking those rules."

Raven felt her face heating up, her hands clenching into tight fists.

"Oh, but I wouldn't worry dear," said Baba Yaga. "I won't say that I don't think you couldn't do with some guidance, but you are starting to show your more evil side. A bit of an unhealthy way to explore your evil nature, but being evil always comes with its own pitfalls."

"But I did the right thing," snapped Raven. "I refused to be evil. I want to do good."

"How do you do good when your actions bring misery and death to those around you?" asked Baba Yaga. Raven felt her breath catch in her chest. The old woman's teeth look sharp. 

"I'm not going to kill anyone," shouted Raven, the old woman clucked her tongue.

"Didn't you hear the Headmaster?" asked the old woman with a shrug. "If you do not follow your destiny than your story not only disappears but you and all the characters in your story turn to dust. The seven dwarves who help in the mines until you two have graduated will be gone, their fathers and mothers mourning their loss. Apple will be gone, and Hunter is even in danger, though he may be saved by the fact that he has two stories, but what if he turns to dust. What happens to Cerise's story?"

"I don't want to hurt anyone," said Raven.

"Then you would follow your story," said Baba Yaga. "The only reason your mother is seen as so evil is because she was cruel to her subjects in her monarchy between the time her husband died and Snow White took her place as queen. No one died from her direct rule, though the lords were starting to come together to overthrow her or so the rumors say. And of course Apple will be no more."

"Oh yeah, because we can't forget about perfect Apple. What makes her so good?" demanded Raven, pacing back and forth and practically pulling at her hair. "What makes her better than me? She needs me to be evil in order for her to be good. She's forcing me to be evil so she can get her happily ever after. How is that good? She should be on my side, not demanding that I be evil?"

"It would be good of Apple to let all the fairy tale creatures die because of the selfish and rebellious decisions of a few?" asked Baba Yaga. Raven's entire body went as taught as a stretched elastic. She had become so worked up that she couldn't even get the words to defend herself. "But truly Raven. I am glad to see you embracing your sin."

"My sin?" Raven forced out between her teeth. 

"Jealousy," said Baba Yaga, still smiling in that insane way. "Perhaps your evil side is expressing itself through a different avenue. But the end of your last year is a little late to start exploring your more evil tendencies."

"I'm not evil!" Raven shouted, all the glass in the room cracking. 

Baba Yaga didn't respond, but Raven was sharp enough to realize that the old woman didn't have to say anything. Raven felt herself stumble back and fall into a chair. She buried her head in her hands. Raven didn't want to be evil. She wasn't jealous of Apple. Raven thought the other girl was shallow and people only loved her because of who her parents' were. Raven wanted to be liked on her own merits, and she wanted to be liked by genuinely kind people. Those idiots that shouted at her because her mother was evil were shallow and Raven was sure they weren't that interesting.

"I'm not jealous," Raven finally said softly. She looked up at Baba Yaga. "I don't want to end up like my mother. I just want to help characters and be allowed to make my own decisions. I can't help anyone because the charities they think I'm going to do something horrible to the children or elderly, and even when I try something they run away from me."

"My dear, the sooner you embrace who you are the happier you will be," said Baba Yaga, not sounding like she pitied Raven, but like every other character like she was stating a fact. "The magic of a character reflects her heart. The last time you used magic in my room you turned the Headmaster into a chicken. Has your magic suddenly started helping others?"

"No, and my magic doesn't reflect my heart," snapped Raven. She looked down at her hands and then let her magic surfaced, but the evil purple of her magic pulled and tried to escape. Raven quickly stifled it. "My magic is so dark because my mother is evil."

Baba Yaga chuckled. "There is more to your mother than you know, my dear. Like you, she only wished to be a good wife, queen, and mother."

"How? She made everyone miserable. She tried to kill her adopted daughter," said Raven.  
"Do you think that is how she started?" asked Baba Yaga. "How do you know what her motivations were?"

"You said she was jealous," said Raven sharply, glaring at Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga just smiled at her, her hands clasped in her lap. "Fine, let's say she had some reason for what she did. Are you saying that she wasn't really a villain and didn't deserve what happened to her?"

"No, she did great evil and almost killed the most wonderful queen we've had in over a thousand years, and killed many others when trying to control back after her step daughter had gotten her prince," said Baba Yaga. "But all you want to do is write your own story. It will only destroy every character in your story, and as your Rebel against your story all those characters that were unsure of their own destiny and look up to you as a role model of evil and followed your lead, potentially destroying themselves in the process. Raven, if you have to be good, think of what your sacrifice will mean to every character around you. Once Apple has overcome the vanity and jealousy in her own heart and the poison has left her, than the land will have another perfect queen and our land will flourish."

Raven looked up at Baba Yaga. Everything the woman said hit her and made her question what she was doing, but at the same time Raven knew it was wrong. How could she make the world better by being evil? Shouldn't she be able to make it better by doing good deeds? 

The bell rang, jolting Raven from her thoughts. She looked at the clock. Somehow, though it only felt like a few minutes, an entire period had slipped through her fingers while she talked insanity with a woman who was trying to convince Raven that by doing evil, Raven would be able to do good. Right, because becoming an evil queen and trying to kill her adopted daughter was something Raven thought would bring joy to the world. And maybe Raven was also being a little bit selfish. Raven wanted to have a loving family. She certainly didn't want to suddenly get an "adopted" daughter that was the same age as her and immediately start being jealous of how good Apple looked. Raven was not the person who stood in front of a mirror and demanded to know who was the fairest in the land every morning. 

"I'm not going to follow my mother," said Raven softly. 

" Students, may I have your attention," said Headmaster Grimm over the intercom. "After the events of last night it has come to my attention that we haven't been making it clear how important our destinies are. Those students who have identified themselves as Rebels, you're schedule has changed and you will have one clot for weekly therapy groups where you will talk together and with Royals about your worries and reasons for abandoning you're destiny. You may also be asked to meet with a school counselor on an one on one basis. Any students who feel they need some to see a counselor to discuss your feelings and work out any anxiety over students rejecting their destinies may also sign up with their counselor on a personal level.   
Through Friday there will be some drastic changes and rules to follow. Soldiers from various families will be loaned to the school and will be found patrolling not only the classrooms but also the dormitories. No one is allowed to leave the castle, and no parties will be thrown, and every character will be in their dorms by eight o'clock sharp. The soldiers will be here later today to enforce those rules. There is also a mandatory School Assembly this Friday where more information will be made available to you. No one is excused and attendance will be taken. Have a nice day."

"Well, that's that," said Baba Yaba. Raven's hands clasped in her lap, tight enough to almost draw blood. "Now, you should get to class. Philosophy of Evil right? I think it is important to go to that class. I will schedule a time for us to meet next week that won't clash with your classes though it will cut into your free time."

Baba Yaga and her house then disappeared, leaving Raven in an empty room in the castle. Raven forced herself to take a calming breath. It would be alright. She slung her purse over one shoulder and then let it fall into her hand. She didn't even pretend to go to class. Raven did not believe that she could accomplish anything, and this would be the last time she could probably skip classes with soldiers coming to school. 

The future Evil Queen walked out of the castle and headed right for the woods. She started humming under her breath, nothing specific and no words came to mind, but sometimes just letting the sounds play themselves through her made her. 

What was the point of going to class? For years Raven had tried to make the best of the classes that were specifically designed for teaching her to be evil. And the only reason she felt she passed was because Raven always wrote things that were confrontational. Teachers seemed to think that her magic and the way her mind had been twisted to seeing the world in a slightly "skewed" way meant she was understanding evil if not acknowledging that she was evil. 

The day was bright, the sun shining with all its strength even as the cooler autumn breeze nipped a little at her arms and neck. She stopped at an overgrown pound. A couple of frogs croaked in the distance and birds chirped around her. Raven sat where the rays of sunlight filtered through the changing leaves creating patches of warmth on her pale skin. Raven leaned forward, letting her long hair brush against her arms. 

Her hair had this way of making everyone think she was just so evil. Raven held the long strands in her hands. Maybe if she chopped it off. Raven looked down into the murky water. Her distorted image truly looked frightening and evil. It wasn't just her hair, it was how she looked. From the purple eyeliner to the black and purple of her wardrobe. It always held something sinister to each stitch. Maybe in order for Raven to be good, she would have to change. 

It had always been Raven's belief that in order for her to be who she really wanted to be. To be a good person with loving friends and an active role in a community that accepted her, she would have to change herself. Maybe it would just have to be her looks. Cut her purple hair a little shorter or color it a bright happy color. She could get a new wardrobe of clothes that she bought from the village when the ban was lifted that were something bright and cheerful.

Raven punched at her reflection. Water splattered across her dress and face. She shouldn't have to change. Raven didn't want a fairytale. She wanted her own story and she wanted to rewrite it so her story continued throughout her life. No happily ever afters, just a life of purpose and of love. 

If Raven changed her image, she would just be confirming to Baba Yaga that she wanted Apple's life. The only thing Raven was maybe jealous of was how people just assumed Apple was good. Raven tried again and again to prove to everyone that she could overcome the circumstances of her birth. Again and again not only did characters disbelieve her, they actively tried to force her into the role of evil. 

Enough was enough. Maybe changing her image wasn't the answer. Raven said that she was interested in being good. She was interested in being herself. Characters could believe what they wanted, but as long as they left her alone, then she would do what she felt was right. She wouldn't try to prove herself to characters that wouldn't listen and who would try to twist every action she did into an evil one and twist Raven with their own crooked beliefs. 

Plus, Raven now had followers. There was a group of characters that were obviously unsatisfied with following in their parents' footsteps. And Cedar had a point in her ramblings. In the original stories our parents landed i situation and with dilemmas that actually fit into the pattern of their lives. They weren't told they were good or evil, their paths crossed and they made their choices based on their own beliefs and personalities. raven just wanted that chance. She wanted to follow her own path, and she knew that in her heart she was a good person. Maybe she wasn't a heroine or the main character of a story, but she also wasn't an evil queen.

The song in Raven's heart flew as she continued to sing. She continued to avoid saying any actual words, mostly just ahs and nondescript language. But as the song rose in volume, Raven's heart beat faster and her emotions tied into every note that grew from the deepest depths of her lungs and broke into the air. 

A canary came down and landed on Raven's knee. The chirps mixed with her song. Raven wondered if Ashlynn had already told the birds about her, but quickly dismissed the thought. Not because she didn't believe that Ashlynn would go back on her word, but because the other girl probably hadn't had time to really process what had happened to her. Now that the entire school was on lockdown, who knew what the other girl was thinking. 

Just a little longer, Raven would just have to wait until the end of the year and then she would be free. At the moment the Rebel might be under her mother's thumb, but as soon as she graduated, she was free. And Raven would leave. The fact of the matter was the land ruled by Snow White only extended so far. So Raven would leave their kingdom. Raven had overheard from C.A. all about Monster High when the other girl had been rambling to Dexter. Monster High, while maybe not located in the perfect place, at least was filled with monster who believed in defying their backgrounds and being who they really were. 

Raven could leave Ever After and go to that city, maybe even convince them that she would make a good teacher, but even if she couldn't, it would be better than staying here. Over there, no one would know who she was. They would have to judge her on who she was instead of who her mother was, and she would show them that she was kind and someone worth being friends with. No one would run screaming from her and calling her evil. 

Yeah, just one more year. Raven just had to survive to the end of her high school career and she could leave to pursue her own goals. 

Raven's voice broke and the woods went silent before dozens of canaries broke from where they had been hiding in the woods and with shrill chirps they flew into the sky.


	5. Royal

It really hadn't taken long for Briar to get over her slump that her party had been canceled.  It had taken about five hours after the soldiers had shown up, their solemn faces seen staring harshly into space all over the school.  At first Briar had been depressed because the soldiers would calmly reprimand her and order her away from the windows so she wouldn't hurt herself and then ordered her to stop making makeshift snowboards to go down the steps.  She was no longer allowed to have any fun.  Then she found just the right guard to provoke, as Blondie said.  This man got ticked off at the slightest perceived infraction, and was quick to attack without hardly a thought.  Briar now teased him mercilessly and easily got him into such a rage that he would chase her with his sword drawn and yelling obscenities no Princess should be forced to hear.

So now, on Friday, Briar was running ahead of the rest of the gang toward the theatre with a triumphant yell of joy as the swearing guard followed her.  Apple and the rest of her friends rolled their eyes.  The ridiculous thrill seeker was becoming more and more reckless the closer she got to when she would fall asleep.  Really, Apple was jealous of Briar.  If anyone's fate was sealed it was Briar.  The reason Briar had no real fear of her story not coming to fruition was her evil godmother was obsessed with her.  The moment that the girl got the go ahead to put Briar to sleep, she would take it.  She had even tried to break in. 

Actually the whole thing was a little disturbing.  Cinderella had actually changed Briar's parent's fiefdom in order to save Briar.  It had been inconvenient for the whole family, and the peasants had been sorry to see their lords leave, but the evil godmother, who had been aged by her mother just for Briar's birthday, had made it clear that when she said Briar would prick her finger on a spinning wheel by her sixteenth birthday she meant sixteen.  Briar was already seventeen and the only reason the evil godmother hadn't found her was because of the spells and enchantments around the school and the town next to it. 

If only Raven could be that way.  Though now Apple felt she understood her Briar's antsy dancing around now.  After having spent the last few days confined to castle, Apple was starting to feel claustrophobic. Just the knowledge that she could not leave had her wanting to fly from the place.  Apple actually found herself repeating her early lessons on what a proper princess does. 

The theatre was buzzing with discontented and scared characters.  The podium on the raised stage was empty and the seats was split in half.  But this time the students had divided themselves differently than before, though not too much differences.  The students had roughly divided themselves into Rebels and Royals.  Since more characters had sworn to follow their destiny than not, the Rebels side had been split into two groups.  The ones who had sworn to write their own destinies sat at the front of the room where most of the soldiers seemed to have also gravitated toward along the walls and even in front of the stage.  At the back sat a couple of characters that were Royals, but obviously showing their support of the Rebels, but also all of the younger classmen who were considering that on their Legacy Day they would destroy their futures by swearing to supposedly "write their stories". 

As Apple took her place at the front of the row with the other Royals, she saw Raven.  Her roommate looked cool as a cucumber, but the future Evil Queen had been acting that way all week.  Raven had also been very strange all week.  The future Evil Queen had spent a lot of time in front of the mirror.  At first Apple worried Raven had realized her brush was missing, but Raven never said anything and held another brush in a loose grip, running it absently through her hair in the morning  until the bell rang signaling that the characters were allowed to leave their rooms for class.

At night Raven had thrown a curtain of magic over her bed until she fell asleep.  It wasn't that the future Evil Queen wouldn't talk to Apple, but only if Apple said something first and Raven only answered in short, clipped answers that cut away and discouraged any further conversation.

Next to Raven was her friend Madeline.  While Madeline was technically a Royal, her allegiance to Raven and the Rebels was undisputed.  It was rumored that along with all the confirmed Rebels that automatically got assigned a half hour slot to meet with one of the school counselors at least once a week, Madeline had also been assigned someone.  She apparently had made the counselor cry and then quit to pursue his true passion, animal talking. 

Apple looked up at the stage.  Teachers were milling in to sit in their seats.  Good on the right, evil on the left, and neutral characters filling the middle.  Apple should have also been up there with Madeline since they were two co student body presidents.  Apple sure hoped that after the meeting everything would go back to normal and the restriction on their times and activities would lifted.  The knights had been telling them all sorts of new rules Headmaster Grimm hadn't announced that first day.

The Headmaster showed up, but Apple found herself unable to pay attention to what he was saying.  His voice seemed to drone and flit through her brain.  All Apple could do was look in the direction of the Headmaster and hope something sunk in.  She was so worried that he would agree with Raven, that nothing but worry clouded her head and the only thing she could have heard about was if the Headmaster started talking about changing school policy so that ever character had to write their own stories.

"... from now on the soldiers are only authorized to enforce normal school rules and restrictions.  I hope that as a school we won't be forced into lockdown again. That is all."

There was a cheer from the entire school.  Apple stood and joined automatically with the rest of the school.  Briar sprang from her side and ran up to the podium.  The Headmaster gave her a glance as he walked away from the podium, but held up a hand to stop the teachers from trying to restrain Briar.

"Wait everyone, two announcements," shouted Briar, making the mics screech under her yell. "Ashlynn, Goldie, and I are throwing a party that we have been able to work out with the teachers so we can have it outside in the park on this beautiful night that will last all the way into Saturday.  So be ready to shake it all night long with the whole school. Also, Apple and Maddie wish to address the school as our copresidents."

With a last cheer of excitement, Briar jumped from the stage.  The characters in the front rows had to catch he or be crushed by her.  It took Apple a second to realize that Briar had been able to do as she asked and she quickly, but properly made her way up the side of the stage to meet Madeline at the center.  Madeline was addressing the crowd with her usual confusing rhymes, metaphors, and sayings.  Apple was pretty sure that Madeline was saying what they had agreed on the day before when they were in fairy tales together. 

"Hello everyone," said Apple putting on the widest smile she could and waving to the class.  Madeline grabbed Apple and gave her a bone breaking squeeze around her shoulders and waved to the crowd with her. "I am here to assure you..."

"Madeline shouldn't be our president," shouted someone deep in the Royal's side of the auditorium.  Apple felt her entire body tense and the speech she'd been gathering back in her mind slipped away from her again. 

The crowd of students got more and more restless.  The Royals had started picking up the incessant chant of "impeach" on the other side the Rebels were becoming more and more angry.  All of them glaring at the Royal's side, but all their eyes fixed on Raven.  They wouldn't go until Raven attacked, and when Apple met Raven's eyes for just a split second, Apple realized she'd be the one who decided for Raven what the other character would choose to do.  Apple looked around the room, the knights looked just as poised to fight as the  Rebels. 

So the future queen took a deep breath in.  The school was divided, but it always had been.  In such a safe and structured environment the students sometimes forgot what evil really was.  They accused certain characters of being evil, but usually, at their worse, these "evil characters" were mischievous. 

"No," said Apple calmly, sending her best disappointed glare and bringing her hand up and then pointing down.  They sat.  Apple then turned and looked at Raven.  They locked gazes, having the conversation they should have had when this whole thing started and the lines were drawn.  After what felt like a lifetime.  Raven sat down. "You all know me.  You know I don't support the Rebel's cause."

Apple looked over at Madeline.  The blue haired character smiled and sipped from a tiny teacup.

"However, we must be a united school.  We must understand and support our fellow students.  Resorting to violence is brutish and against school rules.  We all signed contracts to understand and support each other as we learn to become the best character we can be.  I know a lot of us are feeling betrayed.  You all saw how I reacted when Raven..." Apple had to take a breath and push her emotions back down to twist her at her chest. "But that doesn't mean I try to change her.  She is still evil, and she is still important to me.  If we suppress the Rebels, we only prove that we only care about ourselves and they will shut us out.  The best way to show the Rebels that what is best is by allowing open speech and understanding.  It's good that both of us won, we can mediate, we can understand the others point of view.  We have to make it through this troubled time together.  Madeline remains my co-president."

"And the Queen Blood is my tea representative," said Madeline, she looked right in Apple right in the eye. "You're a good confused friend Apple."

"Right, thank you Maddie," said Apple, giving her a small hug before taking the mic. "I guess we said a deal that we wanted to.  But I want to assure you that we will continue to hold throne room still Saturday and Sunday mornings and Wednesdays right after classes for our hours.  We will continue to do what we can on a student level to keep you informed and have students have a voice in their education.  Thank you."

"Also, new shoes for everyone down at the horrible parent's slippers," said Madeline.

There was no cheer this time.  Every character stood up and started to leave, the gossip in the room drowning out Apple's thoughts.

"Hey, Apple," said Ashlynn.  Apple looked up, skirts in hand as she carefully made her way down the steps.  Ashlynn stood in front of her, not meeting Apple's eyes.  Maddie went to stand behind her along with Raven, Hunter, and even Cerise.  Apple felt her chest tighten.  Just because she had spoken about them getting along, didn't mean she actually wanted to speak to them.  But she felt her ground.  She was president and the future queen, she had to be a good role model for the rest of the school.

"Hello Ashlynn," said Apple, easily smiling at her old friend.  Apple felt a strong arm wrap around her middle and she turned briefly to see Daring smile brightly at her. "Is there something you need?"

"I thought you might like to come down to the Glass Slippers with the rest of us to get some new shoes for the party before the school realizes what Madeline said," said Ashlynn, meeting Apple's eyes hesitantly and smiling shakily.  Apple glanced behind her and saw Raven was glaring at her, as if daring the future queen to hurt the future Cinderella.  Apple felt her blood boil in anger.  Hadn't Raven heard anything Apple had said?  Apple was going to make sure their stories happened, but not by making characters miserable.  And especially not by making her friends miserable.  That was something an evil character did.

"That sounds amazing.  With everything that's going I haven't had time to even think about shopping," said Apple she turned to Daring. "You won't be too bored will you?"

"I've missed you Apple.  Anything we do together will be enough for me," said Daring, nuzzling the side of her cheek. She glanced from side to side and saw, sure enough, there was Duchess. 

"Great, let's go," said Briar, practically jumping on Apple.  Apple rolled her eyes.  They all headed out of the auditorium and outside.  Apple kept having to stop her conversation with the rest of her friends in order to save Daring.  Apple didn't mind saving Daring, but they should have used this time to reconnect to friends they hadn't had time to be with these last few days.

Instead Daring softly tried to turn Duchess down so he could talk to Cerise, only to have Duchess rip into Cerise with such ferocity that the girl ran.  Apple tried to chase after her, but Cerise had always been the fastest person in their class. 

"I think I know who stole my evil side now," said Raven, catching Apple before she made it back to the group.  Apple tried to force a smile for her but ended up sighing. "I knew Duchess was a nuisance, but I never realized how insidious her plans were."

"You really think so?" asked Apple. "You're not saying that just to make me feel better?"

"I would think me telling you that Duchess was evil would upset you seeing as she is supposed to be good," said Raven, raising one eyebrow. 

"I'm not convinced she really is good," said Apple with a sigh. "Her story doesn't actually say.  A character might just assume that because she is the main character of her story she is good."

"I guess," said Raven, she then glanced at Apple. "So, I was thinking.  I could try to 'steal Duchess's evil'" Raven put air quotes at the last bit."Or at least distract her while you go shopping so you can catch up your friends and be with Daring properly."

"You'd do that for me?" asked Apple excitedly, and then remembered who was offering to do her a favor.  Really, Apple should feel apprehension because she was afraid Raven was scheming something evil, not because the future evil queen was doing something kind again.

"For a favor," said Raven carefully.  Apple looked at the other character suspiciously and Raven sighed. "Can we not talk about my choice, or about Rebels and Royals in our room?"

"Why?" asked Apple.

"Because I'm afraid one of us will break the contract if you keep pushing the subject," said Raven, in exasperation. "We live together Apple.  Eventually, if neither of us changed our minds in time, either you would become evil by trying to strangle me or attack me with birds, or I wouldn't be in our stories by virtue of being locked in the deepest dungeon of the some dank prison."

"Oh," said Apple. "That's why you've been avoiding me."

Apple thought about it and then finally nodded and held up her hand. She didn't have anything to lose really.  If Raven kept her end of the deal, Apple could find other ways to encourage Raven to be evil without directly talking about it, and if Raven went back on her word, well, that was one positive step on Raven accepting who she was. "It's a deal."

They headed back, and Apple started right for Ashlynn quickly interrogating her friend on the shoes that were supposed to come in.  Apple almost jumped in surprise when Daring took her hand in his and gave hers a little kiss.  Apple snuck a glance behind her and saw that Raven was smiling coyly at Duchess, her purple magic flickering and the two flunkies who usually flanked Duchess suspiciously absent.

The town was flooded with characters.  By now most of them would be students who needed to shop or had been wrangled in early by Raven, Ashlynn, or Goldie to get last minute supplies for the party that night.  Of course in other shops, characters from school flew around trying to acclimate themselves to everything that changed and apologizing profusely to whatever friend or relative that lived outside of school that they hadn't been there the last few days. 

Ashlynn broke away from her conversation about party shoe favors from Raven and sprinted the last few yards to her store. 

The rest of the group went at a more leisurely pace, only to find Ashlynn being thrown out of her own shop.  They all stared at Ashlynn in surprise for a few minutes as the future Cinderella sat on the ground, hands on the cobblestones, looking gob smacked.

Apple was the first to snap out of it.  She instantly ran and leaned down, Ashlynn's hands and helping her up.  Briar wasn't long behind, asking if Ashlynn was alright and what had happened and if Briar needed to go into the shop and dispence some good old fashioned fairy tale justice.

Apple looked in the window of the shop only to see Cinderella herself, throwing her hands in the air.  Apple quickly ran and opened the door.  Cinderella turned to face her, her expression stormy, but becoming bright as soon as she realized who it was.

"Apple, one of my best customers," said Cinderella, opening her arms. Apple stared at the woman in shock.  Cinderella hardly ever came to the store.  She trusted Ashlynn to be able to run the store on her own.  It had always been a mark of pride for Ashlynn. "I just got a new shipment in and there's these wonderful shoes that I think you'll just love."

The bell rang and as Cinderella's eye flickered to see who it was, her expression became twisted and fierce.

"She is not allowed in here," said Cinderella, sounding more like an evil queen then one of the most celebrated ladies.  Ashlynn sobbed and reached toward the woman.

"Mama, please, why are you doing this?" the girl asked, her shoes earring bobbing.  Apple found herself backing away from the scene in horror.  She watched in detached fascination as the lady who had once taught them all to sing just so to call helpful vermin to them, slapped her daughter across the face and spat at her in anger.

"How dare you," said the lady, her body shaking with anger.

"How could you do that to your own daughter?" demanded Daring, stepping up as the prince he was, and pointing to where Ashlynn sobs in hysterics on Briar's shoulder and Goldie tried to find just the right thing to say to sooth her.

"Are you all in on this together?" demanded Cinderella, her voice screeching.  Suddenly Apple heard the hiss of what sounded like snakes under the floorboards. "You are supposed to be respectable princesses and princes, and here you consort with this vile witch to rip my heart out."

The shout reverberated in the room and everyone was looking at Cinderella in appalled confusion as the lady pointed at her own daughter and called her a witch. "Get out of my store and never return."

Snakes and rats appeared from the shadows, their eyes glowing malevolently as they stalked slowly toward the foursome.  Daring looked at the creatures and then at Apple.  Apple made shooing motions with her hands and he gave a slight nod.

"I do not know what had gotten into you fair lady," said Daring, his voice softening though still strong and righteous. "But know that she is your daughter no matter what trick has been played on your mind and we will find a way to break you of this curse, my word as prince."

"Leave," screeched Cinderella.  Apple watched in bated breath as the four turned and ran out the door, leaving just before the first snake could strike.  Miraculously, the vermin had left Apple completely alone, apparently not associating her with her friends.

A sob tore through the store, and Apple looked to see that Cinderella had collapsed to the ground, her head resting in her hands as she sobbed with little mice and birds humming and nuzzling her.

"Cinderella?" asked Apple softly, taking careful steps toward the lady and trying to seem unthreatening.  Cinderella gulped, as if eating her tears and sorrow and looked over at Apple as she tried to wipe away her tears.

"I'm sorry dear, that was very unsightly of me," said Cinderella, her voice cracking. She tried to wipe away her tears, but his sob caught in his throat.  Apple sat down beside her and took her hand.  Cinderella smiled shakily at her and rub her free fingers against her cheek. "You would never do something so cruel. My dear Apple, I remember when your mother brought you to me, so worried that you couldn't talk or sing to the animals.  You were such a sweet little thing, just like the I imagine my sweet little girl would be."

Cinderella burst into tears again and Apple patted her back awkwardly.

"Let's get you those slippers," said Cinderella.  Apple let her.  Cinderella fussed over Apple for a little bit and Apple bought the slippers that Cinderella gave her, though they were much more Ashlynn's thing.  Well, it wouldn't be too much trouble to find an outfit that went with them. 

When she headed out she looked for her friends, her hands shook and there was something crawling at her chest trying to escape her throat.  Apple was afraid that she blurt out something horrible.  Instead she searched from shop to shop until she saw them in Goldie's shop.  Goldie looked like she was talking to the youngest bear and Ashlynn was wiping at her eyes.

"Apple, what did you find out?" asked Ashlynn as the future queen walked into the shop. 

"I think your parents memories have been altered," said Apple. "It sounded like your father also..."

Ashlynn help up her mirrorphone.  Apparently she'd already tried to contact him.

"They somehow changed their memories so you're absent from them.  Like she remembers teaching me to sing but doesn't remember you there with us," Apple bit her lip, not wanting to hurt Ashlynn more.  But she owed Ashlynn to tell her what was going on.  Well, as much as she safely could. "She thinks that you died when you were baby.  That was why she was so upset, she thought that you were pulling a very mean prank.  Also, right before I left she got a call from your dad, something about a suspicious transaction with our school."

Everyone gasped and Ashlynn looked scared.

"What if they refute it?  They could get me kicked out of school.  Without school or the shop, what will I do?" asked Ashlynn, tears touching the side of her eyes.

"Do not worry about it Ashlynn," said Daring. "We will find the evil witch who did this and make her remove this spell."

"Maybe Raven will know what to do," said Hunter, Ashlynn looked over at him in shock.  She realized that he was making a point to stand at least a couple of feet from Ashlynn.  Where had he been when Ashlynn was falling apart?

"Where is she?" asked Goldie.

"Doing a favor for me," said Apple quickly.

"Such a nice queen," said Madeline as she drifted one side of the room to the other.  Apple did a double glance at the girl.  She was just now starting to get used to Maddie and all her eccentricities.  Most of the time Apple had to remind herself that the only constant in Maddie's life was her outfit, tea, Raven, and wacky behavior.  The other girl hardly did anything twice and her actions never fit with what was going on or her reaction to a similar conclusion. 

Now Maddie was gliding across the room, dancing for the mirrors like she was a ballerina.

"Plus, Raven doesn't have enough control over her magic to do something that complex," said Hunter.

"I didn't think she did anything," said Goldie, crossing her arms and muttering about never saying anything just right.

"Do you think you think that she might know which evil witch did this to Ashlynn?" asked Hunter, he made as if to reach out to Ashlynn, but instantly drew back his hand.

"I'll ask Raven tonight, I promise," said Apple.  Briar then came crashing through the door and dragged Goldie and Ashlynn out the door.  Hunter watched them go morosely.  He then shouted about that squirrel he had been chasing since they had been freshmen. 

The rest of the group floated apart.  Apple took Daring to the spa.  It was something they both enjoyed doing, and it really helped them relax.  After Apple went on a whirl wind shopping spree.  She and Daring were almost sprinting to the castle in order to make it to the school.  They were both careful not to mess up their hair or clothes.  Darin kept checking himself in his mirror. 

They tipped some servants to bring their bags to their rooms and then headed to the quad.  It had been completely redone.  It looked like the entire school was there.  The music blasted through the entire space, filling the air and making it hard for a character to even hear her own thoughts.  It was a Briar party alright.  Apple danced with Daring for a little while.  Daring excused himself after a while and Apple danced with a group of girls until she started feeling sweaty. 

Getting through the throngs of bodies to the gazebo and refreshments was a bit of a chore.  The kids from Wonderland always had an odd sense of humor, but the few from Oz could be just as strange and mischievous in their own way. 

The gazebo had a silencing charm on it so that the music could only be felt instead of heard. 

A small dove landed on the table next to Apple.  A few girls squealed and then started giggling.  Apple paused, a honey soaked apple slice making her fingers sticky.  The dove stuck out its leg, something white was wrapped around her leg.  Apple put the slice down and reached for the bird.  She untied the letter and the bird flew away.  Apple shakily opened the letter.

_Pressure her if you ever want you're happily ever after._

It had no name, but Apple didn't need one.  Everyone in the kingdom could identify the handwriting of the famous Grimm brothers.  After the eldest had died of influenza, gathering atrifacts with his handwriting had become a hobby among those who loved the stories most.  Apple's mother had the biggest collection, but not of his stories, of the various letter he wrote.  She made it a habit to study them in order to learn more about the brothers Grimm, believing that if she understood the older brother, than she could help the younger deal with his grief. 

"Apple, you have to stop them!" shouted Hunter.  Apple gasped and tried to pull her arm from the hunters arm.  She couldn't let him take her anywhere.  It wasn't time, she didn't know what to say. "Apple, please, it's Ashlynn."

"What?" asked Apple, suddenly forced from her thoughts.

"The soldiers, they're taking her away, but maybe they'll listen to you," said Hunter.  Apple hurried then, letting the hunter drag her through the crowd of still dancing students. 

"Hunter!" she finally heard shouted through the crowd.  The music still pounded in the open air, but they were far enough from the DJ that they could hear each other.  Hunter pulled her all the way to the front of the school.  Ashlynn was doing the best she could to fight the soldiers.  But the soldiers held her tight enough to bruise as they tried to force herself into a dank and dark carriage. 

"Headmaster, please, tell them about me," shouted Ashlynn.  Apple looked behind her to see the Headmaster coming down the front steps of the castle.

"I'm sorry Ashlynn, if that is really who you are," said the Headmaster. "My hands are tied.  You're parents have claimed that you are an imposter and have asked me to send you to Poison Village as you have been impersonating their daughter the whole time you've been attending our school."

"You know that's a lie," said Raven.

"Raven, the fact that you're defending her is not helping her case," said the Headmaster firmly. Raven turned scarlet in anger and then stomped away past Apple.  She said something about contacting her mother.  Apple's hands clenched.  No, this wasn't supposed to be happening.  Everything was going wrong. "I'm sorry Ashlynn, but my hands are tied.  If you had sworn to follow your mother's story, then I could have proven to them this was the work of the Evil Queen.  As such, not even Snow White seems to remember who you are, and you choose to write your own path.  You must accept that this story is a part of that."

"You can't do that Headmaster," said Hunter angrily. "What happened to supporting the Rebel's instead of punishing them?"

"We will launch a full scale investigation," assured the Headmaster. "But I'm afraid until then you will have to rely on your wits and Raven's mother to survive Ashlynn.  I promise to you that when the truth is found you will get the proper punishment or reward based on your actions."

"Please, save me Hunter," screamed Ashlynn as she was pushed into the carriage.

"Ashlynn," cried Hunter, but the knights caught him and dragged him back toward the castle.  Apple covered her ears as the two lovers screamed, fear and anger filling the air.

"How could you do that?" demanded Briar as she glared at the Headmaster.

"Briar, dear, my hands are..."

"You know she's who she says she is," said screamed the to be Sleeping Beauty.

"No, I know what my records say.  My mind has been altered just like the others, but unlike them, I know how to notice evil spells.  Unfortunately I have to prove it," said Headmaster Grimm. "Go back to your party.  You'll find that things always turn out how they should."

Briar shook her head, but the Headmaster was already leaving.

"I can't," said Briar, and then looked over at Apple. "I'm going to the library."

"You can't have another party at the library..." Apple started to say, jumping onto a subject she knew.

"I'm not throwing a party, I'm going to save Ashlynn," said Briar softly.  Apple stared at the character in surprise.  Briar hardly ever passed up on a party or a chance to live it up.

"We should get Raven," said Hunter.

"You get her.  I won't miss out on being with my friends, not when I have such little time left," and with that statement, Briar fell to the ground, her narcolepsy getting the best of her.  Daring caught her as she fell.

"I'll take her to the library.  I don't think the party needs us," said Daring.

"I'll catch up with you," said Apple, nodding her head toward the Headmaster.  Daring nodded and the rest of the group headed toward the castle.  Apple tried to catch up with the Headmaster who was heading toward the party.  She could fix this.  Ashlynn would be back at school as soon as Apple admitted that she'd made a horrible deal with an evil witch.  A queen must realize when she had done wrong by her subjects.  Because obviously Angel had messed things up.  Ashlynn was supposed to start her story. 

To start her story Angel should have... should have...

Apple stopped walking so fast.   Angel had made her parents and it seemed like all important adults forget about her.  How would that work the story?  It wouldn't.  All it did was get Ashlynn in Angel's evil clutches.  Why did Angel steal Ashlynn who would want...

 The evil stepsisters, they would love to make Ashlynn miserable.  And hadn't Apple told Ashlynn that she couldn't have a story exactly like her parents.  Apple gave some thought to what had happened.  Instead of her parents dying, they had forgotten her.  Her mother had screeched at her and hit her, like what an evil stepmother would do.  Apple was being sent to the same place as the evil stepsisters.  No, the story wasn't exactly right, but it was never going to be, that was the reality of children of the fairy tale parents.  Their stories followed in the same vein as their parents, but it had to be modified to fit with the times and circumstances of the new generation. 

So the story was going correctly.  Apple smiled.  Ashlynn's happiness was still assured, and her story would have an even happier ending then her mother's had since the spell Angel put on everyone would probably be broken when Ashlynn got her prince.  Or perhaps when Hunter went to save her, who knew how Angel would twist the story so it was still true to the original, but adapted to them. 

Yes, Ashlynn was hurting, and so was everyone else and that was horrible.  But that was the fact of fairy tales.  They might always have happily ever afters, but a great deal of trials and sadness had to happen in order for that happily ever after. 

Apple looked up to see the Headmaster had disappeared, but it didn't matter.  She had nothing to confess, she was doing what he told her to do, and making sure that the stories went ahead as planned.  It hurt, but they would weather it and everyone would see that living through your fairy tale was the best thing to do in order to reach happiness and to discover oneself. 

 


	6. Rebel 3

Duchess really was incorrigible.  She cozied up to Daring whenever Apple started wandering away, and would act as the wounded party whenever Apple came close to telling her off.  Raven was pretty sure that Duchess and herself must have been switched at birth for changeling.  Duchess even had that sly, evil character smile that played on her lips when she was winding someone up. 

Eventually Raven lost her temper.  The only problem was that Raven was afraid any spell she tried to use would backfire and seriously hurt someone or get Apple instead.  It would be horrible for her magic to twist it so it also hurt Apple.  Actually it would probably turn Duchess into the swan she was meant to be, and Apple would probably turn into an apple or something. 

So Raven had to make the spell selfish, or try to not use her own magic at all.  The Rebel tapped her foot as she watched as Apple broke off her conversation with Ashlynn to glue herself to Daring's side and very politely, but very firmly tell Duchess off her not boyfriend.  Duchess faked tears in her eyes and acted like the wounded party.  Raven has decided days ago that no matter what, she had to help other Rebels be their own person.  Ashlynn and her had a couple of classes together, though obviously the teacher's always taught them toward their designated moral ideal.  Still, because Raven was going to be a queen of such, she ended up in special classes with characters like Apple, Ashlynn, and Daring simply because they were all meant to be rulers at one point in their lives.  The difference came when discussing readings, homework, and project goals.  The lectures as a whole had to be vague and address all moral compasses.  This worked since lectures tended to be short and to the point while students did projects, research, and presentations for the rest of the time. 

There was even a debate scheduled for midterm where each student would defend their way of ruling with only a final grade as a determiner as to who won.

Somehow, for the last week, Ashlynn sat with Raven.  The future Cinderella seemed okay with Apple, but she avoided the future Snow White as much as Raven did.  Raven had figured that the future Cinderella was avoiding Apple for the same reason as Raven herself was.  No one wanted a lecture, and after all the crap Raven had to put up with from the teachers, the Rebel had not been ready to deal with Apple's interrogations. 

Suddenly Cerise streaked past her, running back toward the castle, gripping her red hood with tears gathering at the side of her eyes.  Apple was hot on her heels, but Cerise actually knew how to run and run well.  She was on the school track team, and had won quite a few meets. 

Apple gave up fairly quickly, bending over a second after she stopped her pursuit to catch her breath.  When Apple turned toward the group again, Raven glanced over to see most of the group hadn't noticed, or in Daring's case had his own problems to deal with and was trying to fend Duchess over again. 

Raven stopped Apple and took her to the side so they could talk.  If Raven was really serious about changing her fate so it didn't reflect her mother's, then she needed to do kind things no matter what initial resistance there was.

Apple looked genuinely surprised that Raven had caught her.  Then again, Raven had been ignoring and avoiding the future Snow White for the week.  After what Apple said during the assembly, Raven felt a little bad about avoiding her all that week.  Sure Apple was a Royal through and through, and sometimes she could be a little pushy on the whole 'Raven should be evil' thing, but at the same time, she was the most accepting character Raven knew.  Instead of shunning Raven because of her future, Apple embraced her, and it wasn't just the evil.  Sure at the end of last year Apple had confronted Raven for saying sorry about spilling her ink or something, but this year Raven had broken her mirror, and Apple hadn't had any problems or objections to Raven saying she would do something to make up for it.

"I think I know who stole my evil side now," Raven said lightly, titling her head in the direction the group had gone.  Apple blushed and shyly glanced at the ground.  "I knew Duchess was a nuisance, but I never realized how insidious her plans were."

"You really think so?" asked Apple. She looked almost hopeful, as if she had been thinking that Duchess was also a little evil, but hadn't been able to even confirm it with herself.  Duchess wasn't a Royal, it was no surprise when the future Swan had refused her future it had not been as much as a surprise at it should have.  After all, Duchess was supposed to fall in love with someone who had never loved before and then die.  Daring definitely loved Apple.  And yet, Swan had always proclaimed herself to be a Royal, and before this year had proclaimed that even if she didn't get Daring in high school, he'd find her and release her spell as a Swan.   "You're not saying that just to make me feel better?"

"I would think me telling you that Duchess was evil would upset you seeing as she is supposed to be good," Raven couldn't help but point out. 

"I'm not convinced she really is good," said Apple with a sigh. "Her story doesn't actually say.  A character might just assume that because she is the main character of her story that she is good."

"I guess," said Raven. She supposed that she hadn't ever expected Apple to be that deep.  Raven's mother had always warned Raven that one of the reasons she was evil was because someone had a big head and all the resources.  Raven's mother had always said that the past was written by the victors and that if she had won, Apple's mother would have been the evil one. "So, I was thinking.  I could try to 'steal Duchess's evil'. Or at least distract her while you go shopping so you can catch up your friends and be with Daring properly."

"You'd do that for me?" asked Apple, her expression was hopeful, before it fell and her hands dropped to her side.

"For a favor," said Raven carefully.  Apple seemed suspicious, but Raven raced to assure her.  After all, whatever Apple had decided in her mind was probably completely wrong and either twisted.  Raven remembered quite a few of her mother's 'deals'. "Can we not talk about my choice, or about Rebels and Royals in our room?"

"Why?" asked Apple, crossing her arms and in general her body language becoming more defensive. 

"Because I'm afraid one of us will break the contract if you keep pushing the subject," said Raven in exasperation. "We live together Apple.  Eventually, if neither of us changed our minds in time, either you would become evil by trying to strangle me or attack me with birds, or I wouldn't be in our stories by virtue of being locked in the deepest dungeon of the some dank dungeon."

"Oh," said Apple. "That's why you've been avoiding me."

Apple seemed to be hesitate, not ready to promise anything.  Making a deal with an evil queen never turned out well in the stories.  Or at least, it was always a trial for the good characters to get out of the deal.  Because welching on a deal was always a smart idea.  Still, Raven had to admit that in many instances the evil characters twisted the words and meaning of the deals to meet their own needs or make it impossible for the good character to be true to their side of the deal, so the good characters also cheating made sense.  In Raven's mind, it sunk them down to the level of the evil characters. 

"It's a deal," said Apple, and then turned sharply and quick walked so she could catch up to the rest of the group.  Raven felt an irrational smile split her lip and then she found her focus instantly turning to Duchess.  How could she get Duchess off Apple's back? 

Duchess might be a Rebel, but looking at a characters' story was the best way to figure out the best way to get at them.  Even Raven had a little bit of her story as her vice.  The difference between Raven and Duchess, was that Raven already knew there was no way to be the best.  Instead Raven spent a ridiculous amount of time to look the best she could even with her pale complexion.  Raven might be beautiful, but every character was beautiful especially the princesses.  Raven had to succumb to dressing like what her destiny expected in order to look as beautiful as she could.

Raven froze Duchesses feet to the ground.  She waited to see if anything happened, but not only was the future Evil Queen's magic working in her favor, but no one seemed to notice.  Well, Daring probably did, but as soon as Duchess was off him he immediately relaxed and took out his mirror.  It also helped that Duchess's two henchmen were oddly absent. 

Duchess turned an interesting shade of red, her body moving jerkily as her feet stayed glued to the ground.  Finally she turned enough to see Raven, her glare would have turned Raven to ice if her magic wasn't completely tied with dancing. 

"You're breaking your contract," shouted Duchess, her voice cracking with anger.  Raven rolled her eyes.

"This falls under the clause of harmless prank," Raven pointed out. "And I did it because you're a rebel."

"What the hell does that mean?"demanded Duchess, still squirming and twisting. "Why do you care if I didn't want to follow my shitty aunt's destiny.  Yeah, caught you off guard didn't I Evil Queen?  The Swan killed herself and her love before they could consummate their love because her love was a moron and declared his love for a different girl.  By accident! So excuse me if I don't want to follow her story line!"

"I'm not blaming you," said Raven, holding up her hands. "I just don't understand why you're being forced to follow your aunts.  I thought only the children..."

Duchess threw back her head and started laughing manically.  Raven winced at the sound. "You actually think that Headmaster cares?  All he cares about is his stories repeating themselves into eternity and making him immortal.  Or whatever."

"Immortal?" asked Raven.  Duchess screamed and Raven canceled the spell on her feet before the character hurt herself.

"So, how are you going to help me?  Going to kill the enchanter that was supposed to curse me?" demanded Duchess. 

"No, I'm going to kill anyone," said Raven, glaring.  Why did everyone automatically think she was going to do something evil?  The future evil queen took a deep breath in. "I am going to teach you a spell that, while not perfect, could break your enchantment."

"How?" asked Duchess sharply. "One of your mother's spells.  If either or you knew how to get an enchantment off, you'd use it on her shoes."

"She did," said Raven, fast enough to stop Duchess from turning away from her. "Her shoes were supposed to burn her, but as long as she keeps dancing, she stays alive."

"So what?" asked Duchess, turning up her nose dismissively. "How is that going to help me?  Even if you had an enchantment, I have hardly any magic."

Raven rolled her eyes. "My mother was the one who took out your eleven aunts.  They were the ones that taught her vicariously through their dancing most of the magic she uses now to keep her alive.  Since you're the thirteenth daughter of the 12th dancing princess, I'm guessing your magic is rooted in dancing.  I've seen you at a couple of the musicals.  You can't act, but you can definitely dance."

Duchess turned red, her immediate reaction being one of anger, but she deflated quickly, looking to the side and clutching her arm. "You knew already." She accused.  Raven rolled her eyes.  Princesses could be so juvenile sometimes. "So what are you going to teach me?  What could my illustrative aunts shown your mother that could keep me from my curse?  According to most people, your mother was probably the sorcerer at fault for my mother's death."

"My mother doesn't talk much about the past, all she does is plot and experiment with the dance magic she knows," said Raven. "I can't step the spell, but if you get cursed, I know a dance that will break the enchantment, as long as the sorcerer enchants you and not an object like a necklace or something."

"There's no necklace in my story," said Duchess sharply before she bit her lip."This has to be a trick.  You have to want something..."

Duchess physically recoiled from the blade, a hint of fear mixed with disgust on her face. "Why should I?  One of the reason I became a Rebel was so I could be with my love."

Raven didn't say anything just continued to hold the knife extended to the princess, tip first.  The future evil queen truly believed that Duchess didn't really love Daring, the question was if the character herself knew.  Either Duchess would make the decision to let Daring go as a character she fixated on to rebel against a destiny that had been unfairly thrust upon her, or she would let her pride and her own imagined love get in the way and turn Raven down.  In that case, well, at least Raven had given Apple some time to be with Daring uninterrupted. 

Then Duchess reached forward, her finger brushing up against the blade and pushing only a little before she recoiled, a flash of pain rippling across her face.  A tint of Raven's purple magic mixed with the blood on the tip of the blade before the magic and the blood seemed to disappear.  Raven drew in a steady breath.  Her mother might be neglectful at times in Raven's teaching's, but Raven herself had often tested out the safer dancing spells her mother wanted tested and couldn't herself for fear they would stop her dancing feet.  Besides that, her mother  had also taught Raven basic spells, and when she had seen her daughter had a natural talent for dark spells. 

Raven led Duchess into one of the more obscure dance studios.  It was a little strange how many stories had dancing in them in one way or another.  It turned out that while Duchess might have been passed over and given her aunts or half aunts or whatever story instead of her parents, she still had been taught by them at least basic dancing spells.  And not all of them were strictly good.  It turned out that Raven's mother murdering most of her family actually left a firm resolve in the remaining princess to teach all her daughters all the spells dances could create that could devastate the dancer's enemies. 

When Raven asked if her mother taught them because they were meant to fight her, Duchess danced Raven into a the garden.  The walk back gave Raven time to reflect.  Raven had been surprised despite herself, that Duchess hadn't demanded that Raven at least teach her how to do all the dances that Raven knew.  Really, Raven had expected the girl to demand that, if not a bit more. 

Then again, Raven remember that this was someone with a happily ever after, who grew up with a family on the right side of the evil and good.  She didn't have the mind to think of something that ridiculous. 

Duchess actually wasn't that bad at dancing.  Raven wasn't trying to be rude to the other girl; however, Duchess had an annoying habit of doing these almost ballet steps especially when she was being cruel or devious.  And well, the dance moves Raven was showing were graceful, they were not ballet, or anything close to it.  Her mother had been best at ballroom dancing, which was awkward since she always either have to dance by herself or lean over to hold her daughter's hands as they moved.  Raven had learned, but since she was never allowed to parties, she never got any practice. 

Her mother instead randomly got her an instructor to teach her hip hop.  Raven briefly got that the Evil Queen somehow thought that hip hop was evil, which made the bubbly blonde that was teaching it to Raven squeal and clap her hands happily.  Raven did find out if she was part of a story or not, obviously nothing that ended up at Ever After High. 

Duchess has no interest in hip hop.  Even when Raven tries to tell her how it will help her the other girl turns up her nose.  Raven glowers at her.  She wants to tell Duchess about how she helped her mother trap the Sugar Plum Fairy.  Now there was a woman who knew how to dance and how to do it with style.  Raven had dreamed of the Sugar Plum Fairy realizing that with her ability to curse someone without talking and her dancing, she would be perfect with Raven's always chattering and dancing mother.

"Are you actually going to teach me anything?" Duchess asked with a sneer, hands on her hips.  Raven sighed and face palmed.  If Duchess would just cooperate and let Raven teach her the dances and they could easily work out how to save Duchess. 

This could be perfect.  Raven was helping Duchess fight her destiny and have a full and happy life and helping Apple. 

"This is pointless," shrieked Duchess screamed as Raven tried to teach her some ballroom dancing.  The daughter of the evil queen watched as Duchess twirled on toes.  Apparently she needed to do a bit of ballet to get the ballroom off her, or maybe she was shaking off the feeling of Raven's hands.  Either way the future Evil Queen watched in irritation.  Ballroom dancing really isn't that far from dancing was it?  And Raven had watched from the shadows her mother and the Sugar Plum fairy dancing.  Though in ballet it always seemed less of a dance between two people as one real dancer and another supporter.

"We could get the Sugar Plum Fairy," said Raven, kneading her head with her hands, wracking her brain on how to help the stubborn character when she was being impossible to work with.  Really, Raven was trying to teach her magic that would save her.  That would get her the happily ever after she had always wanted. 

"And how do you think we could accomplish that?" asked the Duchess with a sneer. "She has subjects to tend to, and is too busy for anyone."

The words sounded bitter and half of Raven wanted to correct the future Swan because she was angry, and half because she felt like she wanted to assure her that Raven could let her meet the Sugar Plum Fairy.  Really, the Sugar Plum Fairy was among one greatest dancers known.

But then Raven bit her lip and turned away from Duchess, not thinking about what this gesture would mean to the other girl.  All that was on her mind was how she really couldn't summon the Sugar Plum Fairy.  Well, no, technically she could.  She knew the magic, and the spell would spill from her fingertips, rushing out in relief to create.  Raven knew that part of the reason magic escaped her so often was because she didn't use it as often as she should and it built inside her and burst like a dam.  Purple magic crackled inside her fingernails making Raven's fingers tingle and her body shiver in anticipation.  She pushed the feeling away.  Because summoning the Sugar Plum Fairy against her will was evil, no matter how much she wanted to do it, it just wasn't right. 

"You lying..." Duchess mouth shut tight.  Her entire body was taught as a rope and she looked like she was doing everything in her power not to run at Raven and strangle the future evil queen. "You only wanted to distract me so you can continue to try and fool Apple into thinking you actually are good.  Well guess what?  You don't fool me.  I will make Daring love me.  He will be my one and only love and anyone else will pale in contrast to me in his eyes."

The ballet dancer did a quick curtsy, her arms graceful and her toes pointed out.  Raven quickly ran after her, and grabbed her shoulder.  Duchess ripped her shoulder out of Raven's grip, a disgusted sneer on her lips.

"Wait," Raven was saying, a breathless need to her voice. "Just wait.  I swear to you that I know the dance you need.  Maybe Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, no one, seems to want to help you, not even your family.  But I do.  I want you to get a happily ever after.  I want you to be happy, and you can't be that if..."

"If I'm what?" demanded Duchess, practically stalking, eyes bright, toward Raven.  Getting into Raven's space as she never had before.  Duchess grasped Raven's chin, and the future Evil Queen found herself backing up in shock.  Duchess followed her, Raven tripping over her feet, stumbling until she hit the wall, feeling trapped by this small framed dancer even when Duchess didn't make any moves to try and touch her. "Dead?  No."

There was a pause and then finally, when Raven thought she had finally gotten enough nerve to say something, Duchess snorted in disdain. "You really believe that don't you?  You want to be good?  All because you won't get your happily ever after."

Duchess shook her head. "You're naive and stupid.  Worse of all.  You are willfully ignorant of your own evil.  It's actually rather disturbing.  You don't really want to help me.  You don't even really want to be nice to Apple.  You just want to be good because you want what the good people get, or what they get now that for some reason we have to follow the exact path of our parents where most stories end happily."

"Not all good people get happy endings," said Raven, folding her arms and standing taller.  Duchess could say whatever she liked, but Raven knew herself and knew that wasn't how she was thinking.  Yes, she wanted to change her destiny, but that didn't mean she had to be good.  She wanted the choice of what to be, it just happened that she wanted to be a good person.  A genuinely good person.  Not someone who was only good because that was their destiny.

"No, no they don't," said Duchess, looking down on the ground.  Then she sneered. "Goodbye Raven Queen, and don't you dare try to get in my way again."

"Duchess, Daring is Apple's.  They love each other," said Raven.  Duchess threw Raven's hand off.

"What do you know about their relationship?" demanded Duchess, shoulders tight and words spitting. "They have never thought of having a choice.  They always knew and embraced their destinies because they never thought they could have a choice and could see no reason why they wouldn't want that destiny. Well I'm going to show Daring just what he is missing by letting himself get bound by Apple."

"You don't love him Duchess!" shouted Raven, finally out of patience with the other girl.  "You just like the idea of having him."

"What do you know?" demanded Duchess, fingers grasping and digging into her palm. "No matter what you say.  No matter what anyone says.  I love her.  Apple White is mine!"

Raven was so shocked that she felt her body physically recoil from Duchess.  She was so fast that her head cracked against the stone wall behind her.  The sound seem to jar Duchess from her anger.  She looked shocked and then her hands flew to cover her mouth, her eyes wide.

"Y-you know what I mean," said Duchess, her voice shaking even as she glared.  She backed away from Raven on the very tips of her shoes.  She then muttered something that didn't quite reach Raven and turned and fled. 

Raven watched for a second, then realized that Duchess was probably going to run straight to Daring.  No, Raven had promised to help Apple.  If Duchess ran back than it would seem like she hadn't kept her word.  That couldn't happen.  She had just started to take amends, to start forging communication between her and Apple. 

"No Duchess..." said Raven, sure that she would ruin everything.  The magic that had been itching her fingers sprang out, growing from the wish of magic and twisting its way and striking Duchess just as she made a gentle leap into the air.  Duchess drew in a soft gasp and there was a crunch like bones splintering and muscle tearing.  Where Duchess had been purple magic grew and darkened, feathers burst, and finally it formed.  Duchess never touched the ground.  Instead the black swan that had been Duchess had been let out a honk and flew away.

Fear gripped Raven.  What would happen now?  Had she just screwed up her life beyond saving?  They would throw her out of Ever After High, or, well, who knew what they would do.  She had just changed Duchess into a swan.  Did that make her the bad guy in Duchess's story?  But, then, what about Gosling?  The teacher had always seemed to love his part in Duchess's story, though he was never cruel to her.  Instead he always showed Duchess favoritism.  Giving her gifts and praising her work no matter how shoddily it was done.  

Raven found herself walking aimlessly, and somehow still inevitably ended up back at school.  She sat down at one of the benches, watching without seeing as servants and volunteers put together the party that night in the middle of the quad.  She watched as Wren jumped around Peggy, well, his name was Peg, but the others liked to tease.  He had a bit of a lisp, was born without one leg, and was destined to lose one hand to Crow.  He was a little bit of a joke, even more so than most pirates. 

Wren laughed as Peg threw him in the air.  Raven watched them play.  She was surprised when the Headmaster came down to watch the preparations and didn't scold them.  Instead he almost seemed to be smiling as Peg lifted and tossed little Wren around, huge smiles on both their faces.  What was with them anyway?  Was it because instead of stories just being guided as they had once been, they now had to be destined?  Was that why sworn enemies now played and became such close friends.  Though Crow and Peg did genuinely hate each other.  Crow constantly taunted Peg about the day he would cut off his hand and feed it to the crocodile when they were in Never Never Land, and played rather cruel pranks that everyone thought were hysterical. 

But Peg, he never complained.  He had already signed his name.  Had promised, probably happily, to fulfill his destiny.  Perhaps it was because he would never really hurt Wren.  He also would never get revenge on Crow, but maybe that didn't bother Peg.  Maybe Peg was such a genuinely good guy that he didn't mind only getting to cuss at Crow.

What did that say about Raven?  Peg, who hated one of the people in his story, was willing to sacrifice himself to a miserable story just to be sure that Wren turned out alright.  If Raven really was such a good person, wouldn't she make that sacrifice.

Raven hit her hand hard on the bench.  No.  Peg would be forced to do terrible things in order to save Wren.  Raven would save countless lives, not just one.  She was not in love with Apple.  Actually, if the Headmaster had just thought to give Raven a love potion to make her obsessed with Apple than she would have done anything to make Apple happy which meant she would have gone with her destiny. 

"Hey Raven," said Cupid, making Raven jump and look behind her.  The pink monster stood behind Raven, streamers hanging from her and her arms full of boxes with decorations looking ready to explode from their confines. "Sorry, didn't mean to shock you.  I just thought that if you didn't have anything to do you could help us set up."

"Oh," said Raven, her eyes glancing up at the other girl.  The future Evil Queen soon learned that Cupid was on the Rebel side.  Of course, this could be because the girl wanted a story, or at least wanted to have some impact on the world.  After all, how was Cupid supposed to be of any real use with the stories already dictating who was going to have a happily ever after with who.  Of course, Cupid had the odd distinction of technically being a monster.  Raven wasn't sure how that worked since Cupid's father was supposed to be a God, at least Raven thought so. "Of course.  How can I help?"

The rest of the afternoon Raven let her mind wander away from the ordeal of doing good things and actually having them turn out good.  Raven instead just concentrated on putting up the decorations and listening to the band picked for that night.  Raven found herself humming along to the song.  She loved to sing, unfortunately, unless Raven started to be taken seriously, all Raven would probably be able to learn was songs to make ears bleed or something equally as horrendous. 

Night was beginning to fall as Raven sat cross-legged in the gazebo just listening as the band play.  Eventually she decided she had had enough.  Still, with nothing to celebrate, Raven decided to call it a night.  Except that as she past the high school characters, all dancing together, and yet separated by invisible lines through Rebels and Royals and Human characters and Animal characters, Raven saw Hunter run past her, fear painted on his face.  Raven quickly walked to the front of the castle where some of the castle knights held Ashlynn in a tight grip. 

Already friends of Ashlynn were standing angrily in front of the guards and yelling.  Dexter was wiping some blood from his lips, the side of his mouth already starting to bruise.  Raven ran to him, her fingers splaying where he had been hit.  The second prince blushed, looking away from Raven.  He was probably embarrassed that he couldn't save Ashlynn, though he shouldn't be too discouraged, it looked like Daring had also tried, if his attempts to catch his breath and the way he held his ribs. 

Raven wished her magic wasn't so useless when it came to healing.  Still, if she was careful, she certainly could get Ashlynn free, it would just mean her magic would have to be intent on hurting the guards.  Still, hurting others with magic could be a slippery slope to start sliding down, especially if Raven started to rationalize reason why she needed to do it.  But Raven had to do something.  A moldy, dank, only could have come from the Poison Village, and then the soldiers started to try and force Ashlynn inside it.  The future princess screamed, and she put up one of the most impressive fights Raven had seen.

The future Cinderella through her head back as she screamed.

"Headmaster, please, tell them about me," shouted Ashlynn.  Raven looked from where she was hardly daring to touch Dexter.  There the Headmaster came in all his important glory, looking unconcerned about what was happening between the thugs he'd hired and one of his students.

"I'm sorry Ashlynn, if that is really who you are," said the Headmaster. Raven shivered.  She knew that tone.  It was amazing how many evil characters used that 'I'm being completely logical' tone to try and get people to their side or understand the reason they were being evil. "My hands are tied.  You're parents have claimed that you are an imposter and have asked me to send you to Poison Village as you have been impersonating their daughter the whole time you've been attending our school."

"You know that's a lie," said Raven, standing from where she was kneeling. 

"Raven, the fact that you're defending her is not helping her case," said the Headmaster firmly. Raven turned scarlet in anger.  How typical.  He typecast her again and again and would never listen to her word.  Well, Raven knew how to play these games. If nothing else, then she could be sure to get Ashlynn out and unharmed of the Poison Village within a week at worst.  The Evil Queen might be one of the most dastardly characters to have ever been born and she might have been a flakey mother, but didn't like to see good characters wrongfully confined to the Poison Village and she wanted Raven to have more friends at school.  Whether they were good characters or not, she just wanted Raven to be able to go to someone's where she would be safe. 

Raven quickly ran to her room and opened her book.  She hardly ever sent letters home, having nothing she thought she need to talk or bother her mother about.  Now she summoned a proper carrier, oddly enough if turned out to be a crow instead of a raven.  The thing cackled and cocked it's head at Raven in confusion. Raven smiled uncertainly had it. 

"Tell my mother that someone has put a spell on Ashlynn so that her parents' forgot about her and that the Headmaster is a bitter idiot and won't stand up for her. Tell her Ashlynn is a close friend and she needs to get out of the Poison Village as soon as possible.  She's supposed to be Cinderella," said Raven quickly, almost absently petting the bird, except it tried to bite her.  Once the message was done, the bird made a another screeching caw before flapping and taking off.  Raven quickly stepped away from it.  While the beast would only talk once it met her mother.

Raven sighed.  If she was lucky and her mother paid attention, then Ashlynn would be back to the school in one way or another.  After all, not good to leave Raven without one of her friends since Raven had admitted to having so few.

Raven sighed and then her imirror rang.  It looked like everyone was getting together to either find the spell that had made Ashlynn's parents to forget about her or at least a counter spell.  Raven thought it was a long shoot, but she would help.  If anything else then it would throw it off people blaming her so much as to give Raven a headache. Hopefully, with this drama, it would be a long time before they realized Duchess was gone.  If she was lucky, than no one would remember that Raven had been around her last.  If Raven was really lucky, she would find out how to turn Duchess human again.

Of course, with Raven's luck, Duchess would turn into a human in the night and tell everyone what Raven would do.  What would the Headmaster say then about her stealing other evil characters parts?  Whatever it was, Raven would deal with it.  She would apologize, explain she had been too frightened to say anything and the spell had been a mistake.  Raven would make it right, she was a good person at heart, she wanted to do the right thing.  It was just that other people made it so hard when all they could and wanted to see was the future Evil Queen. 


	7. Royal 4

They found nothing. Apple didn't know what to think.  On one hand, Ashlynn had always been one of her friends, was still her friend, and she was suffering because Apple had tried to help her.  But Apple knew, in the end, as she sleepily stumbled out of the library at six in the morning, that she had done the right thing.  It wasn't like any of them had an easy path.  It was a simple fact that unlike other princess, princess' with stories did not lead normal lives.  Most of them would at some point get their hands dirty.  Unlike Briar who soaked and treated her skin, especially her hands, Apple had never bothered, not with all she did to help around the kingdom and her destiny of cleaning up after the dwarves.  Though at least she did not have sword calluses like her mother.

Ashlynn would be alright. Angel was supposedly the Poison Village, she would make  sure she got out soon.  Well, or at least did not come to harm.  It was just hard to believe that someone she still counted as a close friend was actually a fraud.  Now Apple actually felt good about making a deal with Angel.  Not that the revelation didn't hurt, but if Ashlynn wasn't really Cinderella, than she shouldn't be in that story, and if she had cast the spell that made them all think she was Cinderella she deserved to be sent to the Poison Village.  Still, Apple would miss her friend, perhaps she would write to Angel to at least send messages to her old friend if Angel couldn't help get the poor confused girl help.

"Apple, you alright?" asked Daring.  Apple tried to hide her shock and simply allowed herself to fall back into his grip a little.  By letting Daring support her, she wasn't just giving herself a break, but letting Daring also be the strong prince he had always meant to be.  Then her prince grunted in what only could have been pain.

Apple instantly turned around to get a good look at her Daring.  She scanned over him carefully, hands lightly ghosting over his body.

"What happened Daring?" asked Apple. "Did you pull something."

Daring gasped as Apple's hands ghosted over his body.  The prince gasped again as she pushed a little harder at his ribs. 

"I was trying to save Ashlynn from those thugs," said Daring, looking to where he had been hurt. "They were very powerful."

Apple felt her entire body stiffen in righteous anger.  How dare those brutes hurt her Daring.  She opened her mouth, then let out a breath.  She had to be diplomatic about this.  If she just yelled or scolded Daring then he would pull his old "I'm so handsome and I don't need help" thing.  And that would help no one in the end.  So Apple thought and then smiled.  Daring might be self-centered, but he loved his family above all, well, that and damsels in distress. 

"You know, it seemed like Dexter had been hurt when everything went wrong," said Apple, trying her best to look innocent. "But he spent the entire night working with us.  You don't know if he went to the nurse first do you know?"

Daring shook his head.  His expression fierce. "He shouldn't do that.  He's much more fragile than me."

"Well then, maybe we should try to get him to the nurse then.  Maybe I can sweet talk him," she said, trying to push him in the right direction.

"Yes, let's go get him.  He needs to see the nurse.  He isn't tough enough too..." Apple watched her prince's face.  She had meant to shock him into going to the nurse himself, but now she realized that Daring was even more worried then she thought he would be. They walked through the stacks until they came to where Dexter was falling to sleep over his book.  Daring actually appeared to awkwardly manhandle his brother up, his words obviously harsh but his touch both insistent to get his brother up and going.  Dexter looked annoyed at the treatment and Apple could see him angrily talking to his brother under his breath.

She followed the two out.  Daring was practically dragging his brother, though when Dexter made a noise that made it sound as if he had been hurt,  Daring let go of his brother slightly, and made a move as if to brush his hair, or some other trick he often used on princesses to soothe their fraying nerves.  Before Daring caught himself, making an almost exasperated sound before continuing to lead them toward the nurse's office. 

Apple followed afterwards, ready to intervene between what was obviously a touchy situation between the two.  She wanted to be a good, not quite girlfriend, but well, if something went wrong and Daring needed her to intervene or soothe or anything, she was close by. 

Plus, she had to make sure Daring himself got treatment didn't she? 

They entered the medical ward.  Apple looked around it.  At home she was used to the Old Nurse, or whatever her story was, bustling around and tsking at Snow White's potions.  Nurse, as she liked to be called, was a firm believer in the stories.  So even though Snow White was no longer the princess who needed a kiss or a queen struggling to save her kingdom but remain pure.  Nanny still expected her to act like it. 

This healing room, or whatever, was run by a centaur.  Very knowledgeable, but not only was he wicked, but also had what looked like a jungle growing around beds and medicine.  The centaur as always, immediately yelled something that had something to do with beds and they all moved to find a bed not occupied by someone who was passed out on the bed or holding onto some body part and whining. 

Apple twisted her fingers together as they led Dexter further down into the jungle of the healing room.  Her feet, unfortunately, did not want to agree with Apple's worrying side and wanted to walk her right back out the door.  Because she couldn't see the door and this place was giving her the willies.

"Really, whenever Briar throws her parties, the Headmaster should let me bring in at least a few other centaurs to help me," said Chiron.  From the waist up he was a rugged looking man with tan skin, huge muscles, tons of hair, and no clothes.  From the waist down he was a giant white horse that looked like one kick could smash your brains in.  Why such a creature was allowed on school grounds as a nurse of all things mystified Apple. 

"They would have to cut your pay because the other centaurs would be here so often," Daring pointed out. Then tried to, more playfully than seriously, to push the centaur away.  This never worked.  Chiron was impossible to move. "I'm not the one who needs to be looked after."

"Sure you don't big guy," said the centaur. "But I'd rather deal with whatever small problems you're having.  Than the headache I'm going to put myself again after I look after your brother and have to lecture you both again."

Apple actually covered her mouth to mask a gasp at that.  She hadn't known that Dexter ended up in the hospital room that often.  He didn't do any contact sports.  He was a king for queen who would probably do most of the ruling or at least make all the hard decisions. So what could he have done to end up so often in need of healing?

"Looks like you got into a fight instead," said Chiron and then he shook his head. "I suppose I shouldn't ask if Dexter was in on this again.  The Book Ball game all over again."

"I got him off the team last year," Daring said with a snap and the two Charming's then shared a glare.

The centaur made out a noise of derision before glaring at Dexter until the younger prince sat on the bed.  A layer of hanging vines twisted their way in Apples face.  She reached forward but stopped when she swore the things hissed at her.  She took a step back to look at the situation.  The entire bed was covered in the vines.  Apple gasped.  Did Chiron really think that Dexter would need protection of the vines for his modesty?  Did that make any sense at all?  Dexter hadn't been hit that hard had he?

What if there was something she didn't know?  Apple felt a bead of sweat forming and her entire body tremble.  How had she missed so much over the years?  What kind of queen was she going to be?  She hadn't realized Raven was wavering in her destiny until this year.  She had allowed a girl claiming to be Cinderella's daughter to become her friend when she knew about Cinderella's inability to have children.  Why hadn't Apple questioned that more when Ashlynn came into her life?  When had Ashlynn come in?  She couldn't even remember anymore.

Now Apple was realized that she didn't know what was wrong Dexter.  She made a deal with an evil character.

The future queen's head was filled with so many thoughts that breath seemed to be hard to catch as her knees started to buckle and the earth started to spin.  A warm body cuddled Apple close to his firm body.  Apple looked up and blushed, as Daring flashed his winning smile.  She hoped that her dramatics were helping her almost boyfriend cope and not distracting him from important matters.

"Alright," said Chiron, his vines disappearing as he snapped off his gloves and gave a long sigh.  Apple looked over to Dexter and bit back shock at how angry he looked.  His glare so sharp it could cut diamond and for some reason it was directed at Daring. "I have no idea how your brother did it Daring, but somehow he got enough to clot his blood through the night.  Now I'm going to be holding him for the day to detox."

The centaur frowned over at Dexter, and Dexter's glare became more of an angry pout before he huffed and threw himself on the bed so he was facing away from them.

"Hopefully by tomorrow I'll have flushed out all the magic, but until then my nymphs are going to search for his source," said Ciron. Then he glared at Daring. "Right now you should start getting ready to spend every minute of the day with your brother.  Or, if classes don't allow, than getting a minder for him."

"That idiot," said Daring harshly.  He then seemed to remember  Apple.  He smiled at his future princess and took her hand in his. "Come Apple, let's go. I'm sure that you have more interesting plans on this day."

Apple smiled sweetly at him and took Daring's arm.  He led her out, but she was able to convince him to go off on his own to start looking for whatever stash his brother had.  Apple frowned a little as she watched him go.  She wished she could be of more help, but it was clear that Daring wouldn't do anything more for his brother with Apple by his side.  His family secrets hidden even from Apple.  Which Apple understood.  The many children lost to a witches curse that drove her mother to basically ignore her only daughter she had been able to have and had then go on to not be a kind and giving queen, but a warrior one instead.  Which kept them safe after the chaos caused by Raven's mother, but now a days was over the top and rather jarring. 

Apple sighed and shook her head.  What was going on lately?  First Raven spear heads the Rebels and threatens the very fabric of their lives.  Then it turns out that not only is Ashlynn Rebel, but she tricked them into thinking that she was the daughter of Cinderella until the Headmaster had broken the spell without even realizing what he had been doing. 

With a sigh, the future queen draped herself on the windowsill.  Her friends all looked irritated and tired.  Those of them, Ashlynn's close friends were confused and scared by the magic that had been used on them, had researched that sort of magic all night.  The only one who got any sleep was Briar.  Right now the future Sleep Beauty was looking over Hopper's notes.  The future frog prince was already in his frog form, but even small and green Ashlynn could still see bags under his eyes even as he tried to cozy up to Briar.  Finally the partying princess stood and Hopper had to quickly jump away or be squashed by the angry princess.

"Briar, you okay?" asked Apple softly as her best friend passed close to her.  Briar paused for a moment, Apple just watched her.  She had kept her voice soft enough that if Briar wanted to she could pretend she hadn't heard Apple and continue on to wherever she had been heading. 

"No," said Briar softly and then she sighed, body collapsing stiffly to the bench Apple was sitting on.  Her body was practically shaking. "It isn't right.  It doesn't feel right."

"You weren't the only one," said Apple.  She winced in pain as her nails started to dig into her other hand.  She took a deep breath in and looked at the sky. "I don't even remember all those times that convinced me we had grown up together.  I mean, I know I believed we had learned to talk to animals together, but then I learned the truth and it all fell apart."

"That's not what I meant," said Briar with a sigh.  Apple looked over at her but Briar just huffed and shook her head.  After a moment she laughed a little. "It's a pretty wild year isn't it?"

"If you want to call it that," said Apple with sigh.

"So, I heard you left with the Charming boys this morning," said Briar, her tone light and her smile teasing.  Apple let her own queenly smile grace her lips. 

"Yes, Dexter is in well... family trouble I suppose," said Apple, and cursed herself.  In her haste to go along with Briar and start gossiping on lighter subjects, she had almost let slip on of Daring's family secrets.  Her father was right, she still had training and practice before she was ready to take on more serious affairs of the kingdom. 

Then Apple noticed Briars scandalized reactions that quickly morphed into one of interest.  Apple thought back to what she had said and realized that her wording had been very poor.

"No, not that sort.  It's nothing so..." then Apple started giggling with Briar.

"Could you imagine?  Poor Dexter, I could almost believe he was so desperate," said Briar. "That poor boy just can't get out of his brother's shadow."

"That isn't fair," said Apple.  Dexter wasn't the most dashing prince, but not all princes needed to be dashing.

"Life isn't fair," sang Briar, smiling at her friend and Apple shook her head. Apple yawned. "You didn't get any sleep did you?"

"No," said Apple.  Briar frowned, but Apple held up her hand. "I need to stay on my sleep schedule."

"Then wake up at noon like normal a student," said Briar while rolling her eyes. She stood up and reached for Apple.  The future queen smiled gently and held up her hand.  Briar gripped her wrist hard and dragged Apple so she was standing next to her friend.  With a smile, Apple allowed herself to be dragged along.  She let out an exasperated sigh as Briar ignored Hopper who had turned back into a human and was trying to get Briar's attention, though he changed into a frog quickly when he became flustered that Briar wasn't listening to him anymore.  Apple sighed.  At least Briar wasn't insulting him over what he was anymore. 

Briar chatted something completely unimportant as we headed to my room.  She dropped me off, snickering as we entered to hear Raven's snoring.  The future evil queen had started the night, sure that something had gone wrong and Ashlynn was who she said she was.  After all, Ashlynn had seemed to be the only really and truly good character beside arguably Hunter, who had been dating her. 

The questions about what Apple knew hadn't stared until after midnight, when they all had hit a slump, a sort of despair that infected the whole group.  It was just so sudden, and after all the upset that year this just added fuel to the fire.  Apple sat on her bed she didn't really want to sleep.  Last night and this morning had her head spinning to fast.  First the rebels, now someone who yesterday when the spell ended for them all, everything had gone wrong.  This was supposed to be the best year ever and they got ready to live out their stories.  Not their stories were all in jeopardy.

Why?  Raven had a point with why had Ashlynn pretended to be the daughter of Cinderella and then turn on them and become a Rebel?  Why try to intrude on a story that wasn't yours, only to later back out of it? Had it been because Ashlynn had fallen in love with Hunter only this year and she had been so ingrained in her role as "Cinderella's daughter" that she hadn't known how to become her own person and meet Hunter again that way. 

Apple sighed and closed her eyes, hands folded over her chest, letting her eyes close.  It would be okay, maybe Angel had done something.  Maybe to start things she had broken Ashlynn's spell on the so they could really get to the real stories.  Apple should have known that things would get worse before it got better.  Angel was a villain character, it was in her nature to cause pain as well as keeping to her promise. 

Before long, Apple had fallen asleep, waking up when Raven cursed as she stubbed her toe as she sleepwalked to get ready for lunch.  Apple unclasped her hands and stretched with a yawn.  Everything would be okay.  Stories were hard.  They had happily ever afters, but first the main characters had to go through the adventure.  This was just part of the adventure.

Still, the weekend was being dragged along kicking and screaming, with whispers and rumors that got out of control.  The Headmaster tried to reassure everyone, but Apple only heard every other word with everyone talking over the speakers.  Apple also had to help Daring with Dexter along with her other duties that kept her moving and supporting her subjects all day.  Dexter went from a background brother who was slightly nerdy, to the younger, in withdrawal brother.

the entire situation was rather surreal.  It wasn't that Apple hadn't seen characters going through withdrawal before.  It's just, they had been in care and never of the noble family before.  It certainly hadn't been anyone she had personally known before she'd known about their addiction.  It was worse because she didn't actually know what the situation was.  Just that Dexter had been hurt and that the centaur found out that he had been overdoing some sort of medication he had to take.

Then the week went on, just as slow as ever.

Apple wanted to tear her out her hair.  Time just seemed to slowly meander, everyone tense as they waited for the next shoe to drop, but nothing did.  You just had a jumble of characters who were spreading rumors and bad feelings that made everyone ready to make something happen.

And then the rumors started in earnest.  Apple went to find out what had happened, who had snapped when she saw Daring storm past her, not even noticing when she tried to get his attention.  She reached out, but he didn't even say anything, just glared at nothing.

"I can't believe this," whispered Blondie, reaching for her imirror so she could document what was happening.  Apple tried to push her way through, but everyone was gathered at the windows jostling to see through.  Finally she took a step bak and cleared her throat.  That did the trick, she could get any boys and many girls attention with just clearing her throat and she grabbed Blondie's hand to make sure the other girl got to broadcast whatever was happening.  It was obviously something that everyone had to see.

When she got to the window, her eyes were first drawn to the carriage that was in the path.  A dark twisted thing that appeared to be pulled by rugged looking dogs as big as horses, sharp teeth, and what looked like blood dripping from the jaws. 

"Is he really letting that maniac stay?" whispered one of the students.  Apple gaze then was drawn to the Headmaster, and she found herself having to consciously let go of Blondie or hurt her friend.  There, with the Headmaster, signing a contract in blood, was Ashlynn. 

She wasn't dressed like she had been when she was thrown out.  Instead she was in rags, her hair dirty and pulled back into a tight bun hidden under a headscarf.  Her mouth was drawn into a frown and she absently put her finger in her mouth to suck the blood there.  Apple could hear several gasps mixed with her own as she realized that the Headmaster had Ashlynn sign in blood, something for those who had evil paths or got a job at the school despite coming from the darker side of stories. 

There were two other people were with her.  They were also dressed in rags, and both wore their clothing as if to dare people to try and find them attractive.  It was clothing that looked nice in theory Apple supposed, but it was put together with clashing color, gaudy choices that contradicted one another, and one apparently had decided to be splotchy with her makeup, making her face white as a ghost and her lips sticky red white while her hair appeared to be streaked in greasy glitter gel.  The other was over done in what could better be called face paint, with foundation that was cheap and eyeliner that seemed to shine, and eyelashes at least an inch long. 

Then they were ushered away from the door, but not into the building. 

This was... Apple didn't even know what to think about this.  The whole situation hadn't even died down enough for everyone to start talking about something else.  Now, they were letting Ashlynn back, after everything she had done. 

No, there was probably a reason for this.  There had to be.  The Headmaster was keeping Ashlynn close for security reasons.  No, that was why she had been sent to the Poison Village.  That sort of ability was dangerous to the extreme, the spells and wards put around the Poison Village to contain the sheer amount of evil that would infect the rest of everywhere if it got out of that place. 

But the Headmaster had said something about the spell affecting him but not affecting him, the whole thing had been a little weird, but maybe he decided that he needed Ashlynn close to figure out what is really happening. 

"Apple!" someone called, Apple shook her head.  She had automatically started to direct and try to calm her subjects while her mind was elsewhere.  Apple took a deep breath.  If her mother and father taught her anything, it was that the subjects under you were the most important thing.  Before she started trying to figure out what was happening, first she had to calm the entire room down. 

Hours later Apple finally had worked out a plan with the Three Little Pigs that would let the general public get their daily dose of gossip about what Ashlynn was doing and who were those two girls that she came with and if anything evil or well odd was going on.  This also meant that no one else was supposed to interfere or they might mess up the three pigs.  Since the Three Pigs had Apple's backing, that meant most characters would not only know better than to try and spy, and anyone stupid enough to try would be stopped in favor of Ashylnn's chosen.

Now, it was late, Apple was exhausted, but she was also determined.  A queen never really slept, and neither did she.  After a day of turmoil she was heading back to her dorm intent on changing and getting herself primped up for the impromptu party that Briar was throwing for the three little pigs new position, or at least that was her excuse.  She even got the Ginger Breadman to sign permission to do a quick setup for a dance and even some teachers to chaperone, which was completely unheard of, but maybe the students just felt the need for more protection after someone as dangerous as Ashlynn who despite signing a contract and every protection put on the castle to stop those sort of spells had been able to fool them all.

Apple sighed and slipped off her gloves, somehow she had gotten marker all over her white gloves and she could only hope that the cleaning staff would be able to work out the stains. 

"Well, you're a hard one to get alone." The voice startled Apple, she turned around to see one of the gaudy girls who had come in with Ashlynn.  Her dress really was atrocious, and she looked rather ridiculous as she leaned against the door to Apple's dorm, a letter knocking against her fingers. "I have a little something for you."

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" asked Apple, feigning ignorance, though not offering the girl her hand.  She wanted to be nice and friendly, but she also wasn't going to act like an idiot.

"No, not personally," said the girl with a lazy drawl, walking in and closing the door behind her.  Apple instantly took a couple of steps backward toward the window.  Maybe if she jumped out of it, than one of the gallant princes would be at the bottom to catch her. "I'm Nelly Tremaine."

It confused Apple a second.  Then she remembered.

"The evil stepmother," whispered Apple.  The girl smiled, and Apple quickly took a couple of steps backwards as the girl started to saunter toward her.  Nelly stopped, playing with the letter in her hand, a smirk firmly stretched across her face.

"Sorta," the girl said with a nod of my head. "I'm actually the illegitimate daughter of the evil stepsister Drizella.  But this isn't about me.  I've got a letter from Angel.  She insisted that you would want it."

Questions of why Nelly wasn't at Ever After High when she was part of such an important story slipped away when she heard Angel's name.  Apple snatched the letter out of Nelly's hand and glanced the envelope quickly before trying to get inside it. A feather slowly started to fall when Apple opened the letter, and with a slight gasp, Apple went to grab it.  Then her memories returned.  It wasn't a spell that made Ashlynn seem like the daughter of Cinderella, Ashlynn was the daughter.  Apple grabbed at her head, the confusion causing a migraine. 

No, what Angel had done wasn't to break apart Ashlynn's spell.  Angel had been the one who created the spell.  She had somehow made them think that Ashlynn's life had been a lie.  But why?  How did this help.  Apple blinked and shook her head and looked down at the letter at her hands, but quickly brought the paper to her chest when she realized that Nelly was trying to look at the spindly text. 

Nelly just smirked and rocked back on her heels.

"The deal you made with Angel doesn't really matter to me," said Nelly, that smirk still plastered on her oddly painted face. "I get to spend sometime around my supposed to be stepsister, and she really isn't that bad.  Though I wouldn't think a good-two-shoes like you would dare associate with someone so blatantly evil."

Apple glared at the stepsister who just continued to smirk before she turned on her heels and left.  Apple quickly shut her door behind her and then leaned her back against the door.  She still didn't understand why Angel had made everyone forget.  How would that make it all alright?  How could taking her past, making her not the next Cinderella make sure other characters follow their stories?

_Dear Apple,_

_I'm sure you're at least a little confused.  But in crafting my plans, this was the one that made the most sense.  I'm sorry that it won't be perfectly to the story.  But now Ashlynn is stuck with no friends, suffering under a hard people who are not going to treat her nicely and with the two sisters who are not a cake walk.  The story should end at the end of the year dance where she will get her prince and the spell will lift and you'll have your friend back._

_Sincerely,_

_Angel_

_P.S. This letter is spelled so only you can read it, but to be safe you should burn this._

It was direct and left some questions behind, but overall there was nothing to worry about.  At least Apple didn't think so.  Still, it really did go against the stories in some way.  But maybe it was enough that Ashlynn at least wouldn't change into dust.  Apple felt tears gather in her eyes and she shook her head.  How had Angel got this done if she had no magic of her own.  Apple had thought the other girl could only do potions.

Apple found three metal, shallow pieces and then ripped the letter into tiny pieces and afterwards she scattered those pieces on the metal.  Using a match she then burned the pieces and then one by one dumped those metal pieces out her window and spilled the rest down her drain. 

It wasn't long until Apple had freshened up and was heading out the door.  Hopefully she would be able to distract herself from everything that was happening around them.  If Apple was lucky she would find some time to do to think what had happened over the last few days. 

The atmosphere in the gym was one of forced cheer with the undertones of tension.  Some characters asked if Apple had seen one of the two ugly girls that came with Ashlynn heading from her dorm.  Apple shook her head, saying she just missed them, and that they really shouldn't call them ugly, it was more that they dressed eccentrically.  No reason to have people learn before they had to that the two were the two ugly stepsisters. 

"You were lucky," said Cedar. "I cannot tell a lie, and I met that girl on the stairs.  She definitely had a dark soul."

"At least a wicked smirk," said Blondie as she tapped at her mirrorpad.  Probably putting on the finishing touches of what she had already gotten from the three little pigs for her to post. 

"I don't like it one bit," said Charming, coming to stand next to Apple.  Apple leaned back against her not boyfriend with a sigh.  She looked up at him.  It had always seemed strange to her that she was destined for Charming.  He was so different from her own father who was a bit of a wimp.  Her father had his mind on the people while Apple's mother had the mind for the military. A weird situation, but really, in the end, the only thing Charming really did in his story was kiss her and agree to invite Raven to their wedding.  Where they would burn Raven's feet.

"You alright Apple?" asked Charming, running a finger down Apple's cheek.  The princess smiled up at her not boyfriend.  Charming might only have one truly important story, but Apple had never taken to the military and fighting like her mother, so she was happy to switch roles back to the conventional standards. 

"Yes, the day has been just a little overwhelming," said Apple.

"Well, then as the dashing prince, I'll just have to take your mind off it," said Charming with a flip of his hair and his teeth seemed to glitter under the playful lighting. "It's not as if that'll be hard."

Apple laughed but let herself be danced away in the arms of her love.  Daring was perfect, and even f her story didn't deserve him, she knew that he was hers. 

 


	8. Rebel 4

Raven really tried not to hate this Ashlynn.  It was sort of easy to blame her for a lot of what had happened the last few days.  After being part of the school for such a short time, she had turned everything on its head and given an even worse reputation than before.  Not that Ashlynn did anything to make them seem bad.  No, she had already done the worse.  Pretended to be something she wasn't in order to advance herself.  Hurt a very beloved Duchess just to decide she didn't want that life and try to shack up with Hunter.

And poor Hunter.  He had been all out of sorts lately.  He spent half his time wandering the woods and library, and the other half assuring the Three Pigs that he wasn't spying on Ashlynn he didn't care about her.  Raven didn't know how to make it right.  It wasn't that Hunter was a close friend, but he had been a powerful ali to their cause.  Maybe he hadn't the grandest parts of the story, and not as clearly good as they always claimed, but characters had looked up to him.  Had seen his rebellion as something to aspire to.  Not something that only greedy evil characters tried to get away with to get out of their just deserts. 

Apple walked by with Daring on her arms.  Smiling up at him sleepily.  The princess hadn't gotten much sleep the last few days, trying to do everyone in school good and get them all organized and calm.  Then something bubbled near Raven making her almost drop her spell book.  Raven glared down to where a flash of purple scales shimmered and then disappeared within the fountain. Raven looked down.  It wasn't unheard of for magical fishes to make their way into the fountain, course they had to be careful not to be eaten before they found someway to tell the Headmaster they were there and prove they had a destiny.

This was really pointless.  Raven snapped her book shut with a sigh.  The future Evil Queen had sent a message out to her mother, but who would know for sure if that letter even go to her or that her mother would care. 

Still, not even the school dared to hold the darker texts at least out in open and Raven doubted that any of the evil character teachers would lend her anything that would actually help. 

"I found it!" yelled out the little pig.  Raven spared him a fast glance, as if she expected him to actually have the answers they were seeking. Instead The Little Pig was holding what looked like a gold jewel into the air while in the other he held a squirming orange fish that in seconds let out a scream that had the pig flinging it up into the air.  Raven rolled her eyes and gasped along with a few other students as Daring seemed to show out of nowhere, grab the fish, and quickly put him in a cup that Apple was holding.

A polite clap ran through the quad, and it was unclear whether it was for Daring's save of the singing fish or for the Littlest Pig's findings.

"Raven?" a hand gently touched Raven's shoulder.  Raven turned sharply to see Cedar.  The future Pinocchio smiled shakily, her hand pulling back.  Raven shook herself and smiled at her friend.  Cedar was a close friend.  Cedar might have a Happily Ever After, and her father might not like Raven, but Cedar despite her nervous demeanor was also a critical thinker and made up her own mind about things, which meant that when Raven met her the one time she ran away, she remembered the sweet girl she had met in the forest and befriended four years before high school was nice despite who her mother was.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," said Cedar.

"You didn't.  I was just caught up in the drama," said Raven, flickering her fingers toward the quad where the action was winding down and everyone was returning to lazing around.  Cedar's eyebrows inched upwards as she looked at the everyday life of Ever After High life, but she bit her lip.  Cedar had a policy of always telling the truth worked well apparently in the little village she lived at, but here tended to often hurt people that were caught in a politically steamed campus. 

"Are you still joining us to research magical fairy history?" said Cedar, and then looked away from Raven. "I mean, Briar and I can do it ourselves, but the teacher seemed to assign you to us because you would be able to include interesting slant to our paper.  Not that your evil, but you were brought up evil and thus at least know stories not that you think all fairies are evil or..."

Raven now reached out to gently put two fingers to stop Cedar's word vomit.  When nervous the next Pinocchio tended to start talking and talking and trying to dig herself out of a hole that she herself was digging deeper and deeper. 

"I wouldn't leave you two hanging, especially with Briar the way she is," said Raven with a smile and starting to walk toward the library.  Cedar jogged to keep up.

"Where is Madeline?" asked Cedar, looking around for Raven's best friend.

"She's filling in the co-president role," said Raven with a shrug.

"Oh, that's right.  She's always at our Rebel support group," said Cedar.  She checked her watch.  Raven nodded.  Her group meeting was actually on the other day as they had tried to split up the groups into as closely same sort of character groups for the guidance councilor to deal with, so Raven had characters like the next Wicked Witch of the West Emerald and Icy.  Cedar probably was in a group of Rebels that had happily ever after but had gray aspects to them like Hunter.  "I suppose I'll be the one leaving you with Briar to work on the paper for a while."

"It's fine," said Raven with a shrug. "We can always say that it's the school fault for making us do all these random things along with finding times we can meet and put together a project."

"I don't think that will work," said Cedar with a nervous laugh as she pushed the doors to the library open.  The second little pig looked up from his books and Raven made a point to lower her voice.  Depending on who was the librarian was they would need a room to do their project properly, as in actually discussing what they learned and compiling their knowledge.

Raven looked around and noticed that Briar had thread and needle in her hands.  She bit back a grown, but Cedar must have seen it.

"She can get her work done," said Cedar in a harsh whisper.

"I know," Raven whispered back. "I'm just worried, she only does that when she's stressed."

"Well, at least she never took up spinning," said Cedar with a nervous laugh.  Raven headed over to where Briar was sitting, hoping that Cedar wouldn't realize how horrible her joke was or they would never get any work done.

The project was half over by the time they called it a night and decided on a time to meet the next day so they could hopefully finish the thing up.  It wasn't done very creatively but they hoped that with the verbal report they would get a good grade.  The most interesting thing about the visuals was the stitching that Briar had worked out to do the next day while Cedar and Raven finished the written and verbal part of the project.  Cedar would do most of the writing, mostly because she was more meticulous about citing sources, something Raven didn't understand at all, especially since how much or what details actually needed to include sources seemed to change between teachers. 

Raven woke up early the next morning, and decided to go on a walk to clear her head.  With everything going on she wasn't sure how to go about doing the right thing.  She wanted to be a good character.  She wanted to be herself.  She didn't want to end up hated because of her mother, because of a legacy she had no choice in.  But what could Raven do?  The last time she had tried to do the right thing, she had turned Duchess into a swan.  That made her a vilian already.

But that hadn't been her fault.  Duchess had planned on doing something horrible, or at least continue to be a horrible person, and Raven would tell a teacher if she wasn't afraid that it would violate the rules and she would get kicked out of school.  Raven shivered at what they could do to her.  There were whispers even before the Rebels that if a student somehow did cross a line that the teachers would be authorized to place a mind control spell on them and the only reason it hadn't been done to the Rebels was there were too many of them.

Raven didn't believe them.  She was pretty sure that she would have heard of a mind control spell that strong before going to school here.  Or at least that when she mentioned it to her mother, the Evil Queen didn't almost trip over her own dancing feet she was laughing so hard.

Raven sighed and started singing a somber tune.  She had only sung a couple of times with Ashlynn, but even if the other girl wasn't really a character, she still had been able to sing wonderfully in a way that enchanted the animals to her.

Raven was lost in her thoughts, trying to call something to her, some animal, gentle if not kind, wonderful if not beautiful.  And then something answered her call.  A song that even Raven could tell was full of hope and longing.  Raven answered tentatively, not even aware of what she was singing, but also sure that the words didn't really matter, just the feeling behind them. 

And then she was there.  A small pool of water in the middle of the forest just outside their school.  It was the red fish from the day before.  They stared at each other for a time, lost in each other's eyes. 

"Hello," said Raven, taking a tentative step toward the fish.  The fish seem to look at Raven critically, her eyes trying to see into the future Evil Queen's very soul. "You're the fish that sang yesterday.  I'm surprised you haven't returned home yet."

"That pig stole my way home yesterday," said the fish in a soft voice.  Raven had a feeling that the fish was pouting, though obviously she couldn't tell for sure. "If it hadn't been for that wonderful prince I wouldn't have survived."

"Daring?  Yeah, he's good at saving damsel's in distress," said Raven, and smiled when she realized that the fish was blushing. "Still, it's troubling that the little pig stole your way home. Do you know why?"

"He said it would protect him from harm while following someone," said the fish sadly.  Raven sighed and shook her head.  As horrible as it was for her to give into story character stereotypes, the pigs really were intelligence wise dumbest to smartest when it came to size.

"That's not fair to you," said Raven and stood, intent on getting back the gem but then she froze.  The sigh of the fish as probably daydreamed about Daring gave her an idea.  This fish obviously wanted to see him again, and the Headmaster would have to understand why the fish needed to be there.  After all, the fish couldn't return home without her gem.  And knowing the littlest pig, it would take days if not weeks even with the Headmaster interfering to get the gem back. "I could turn you human and you could get back your gem."

"How long would I have?" demanded the fish.  Raven smiled, hearing the want in the fishes voice.  Yes, this could work.

"The spell I can do," said Raven, making her spell book seem to appear from nowhere. "But, I'll have to tie your magic to me to do it.  And correct me if I'm wrong, but your magic is through your singing right?"

"That's right," said the fish with a nod.

"That means that you probably won't be able to speak during that time," said Raven, then she pulled out her imirror. "But you could use this.  The spell just requires you to think hard about what you want to accomplish and it will turn you human.  Once you get the gem from the littlest pig however you will turn back into a fish and I won't be able to do the spell again until your magic is completely recovered.  The spell is mostly reliant on your own magic, so it will probably take a month or so to recover.  I would suggest not trying too hard to get your gem back until you're ready to go home."

"You would really do all that for me?" asked the fish. "What can I ever do to thank you?"

"Just tell me your name," said Raven with a wide smile. 

"My name is Psalm," said the fish and closed her eyes.  Raven nodded and started flipping through her book.  She couldn't imagine how this could go wrong on her. Well, besides getting her into a little trouble.  But the magic she was using wasn't evil.  The fish was beautiful and obviously a good character of whatever stories happened in the ocean.  It was actually how few they had. 

The spell quickly took hold of the fish, and Raven stumbled back a few steps to allow room for the fishes body to grow.  Once it was done Raven quickly started searching through the book again while Psalm watched her in amusement, not covering up the important bits since the fish wasn't used to a human body or what clothes were supposed to cover from decent sight. 

Apparently some of the wilder animals took pity on Raven's scandalized searching because they brought some cloth to cover Psalm.  All of it mismatched with what had to be boy pants that hung loosely around Psalm's hips and it was only a thin cloth that covered her chest.

Psalm didn't seem to mind, though her hands kept going to her throat where not a sound could be heard escaping her lips.  Still, she seemed excited enough to be human.  A little bemused by Raven's instance that she wear clothes, and very unsteady on her feet.  But Raven supported her with only the barest of blushes as she gripped the newly humans warm flesh and pushed her toward the school where it was hopefully early enough that not too many students were awake. 

As it was, there were enough students awake to stare rudely at Psalm and her weird attire.  A few even dared to start asking about who Psalm was.  Raven just glared and they backed up, but they couldn't make it to her room fast enough. 

 _This place is wonderful_ , wrote Psalm as Raven opened the door to the room she shared with Apple.  Raven smiled and nodded, and jumped a little in surprise when she saw that Apple was still in the room.  Not that the future Snow White was sleeping.  She was awake and dressed.  She had just apparently decided to do most of her homework then so that when it became hectic and her job as president came up she wouldn't have to worry about homework.  Smart.

"Hello," said Apple, her eyes roaming quickly over Psalm even as she smiled and stood to greet the girl. "I don't think we've met before.  I'm Apple."

"This is Psalm," Raven quickly introduced. "I turned her human so she could get her gem back from the littlest pig."

"Oh, are you that fish Daring and I saved yesterday?" asked Apple with a clap.  Psalm nodded even as she stared in shock at Apple.  Raven forced herself not to smile as she realized that Psalm had completely missed Apple helping rescue her yesterday.  While most girls usually remembered Daring more, the future Queen was usually not completely overlooked.  Apple did have a strong presence all of her own. "I can see that you need something to wear."

Psalm shrugged and Raven rolled her eyes.

"Do have anything that would fit her Apple?  With her red hair I don't think anything I have will really suite her and I don't have time to go shopping today," said Raven, forcing a smile.  Apple looked up in thought and then finally nodded.

"I think I have just the thing," said the future Snow White, and disappeared into her closet.

She seems nice, wrote Psalm and Raven nodded and only snorted in laughter a little at the fact that Psalm really couldn't remember Apple from the day before. 

It took a little bit of trouble, but with the help of some brownies, they were able to get her dressed.  It turned out that while Psalm didn't mind wearing some clothes, she didn't like wearing the usual amount.  She ended up wearing a sequin camisole that would usually be layered with other sorts of tops, but those all made Psalm look sad and squirm uncomfortably.  They were also able to get her to what Raven called a ruffle belt.  Because it was a very short and was supposed to be the top part of an overall outfit.  Thankfully they were also able to get her into some short spandex.

Shoes, even flip flops, were a complete bust.  Apple was only able to get mascara on her without having it wiped away, and then one sunfish clipped into her very short if beautiful hair.

Finally they were taking her to meet the Headmaster.  Psalm watched in fascination as on the way Apple and Raven debated how they would explain how Raven found and decided to turn Psalm into a human.  In the end Apple gave into Apple's request that Raven needed to seem to have some evil intention just to keep the Headmaster happy and not undermine Psalm as she wanted at least a week to explore.

In the end the Headmaster almost seemed happy to have Psalm with them, even hinting that she might have a story of her own and asking if he could get in contact with her people.  She agreed and wrote something on her imirror for him that Raven wasn't able to see.  After Raven thanked Apple, who smiled and left quickly stating she had business to get to.  Raven explained that she had a project to do and apologized to Psalm who asked if she could explore on her own.  Raven asked if she could put a tracking spell on the former fish.  Psalm smiled and opened her arms invitingly. 

Raven watched the former fish head off to explore on her own.  She should be alright.  Raven had let her have the imirror, and while normal human students would be penalized for wearing that clothing, but the school made exceptions for cultural and personal reasons, so it made sense overall that she wouldn't be bothered for wearing so little clothes. 

The day passed quickly and by the time Raven got back to her dorm she saw that another bed had been set up over Apple's.  Raven fretted as she finished up the last of her homework and insulted the guidance councilors "homework" for her Tuesday meeting.  But Apple seemed composed finishing her own homework she hadn't been able to finish because Raven had brought her Psalm, so Raven decided to give it until nine, an hour before curfew on Sundays for the seniors unless given special permission.

About a minute after nine, Psalm broke in.  She happily bounced around the room.

"So I guess today went well," said Apple with a shaky smile. Psalm nodded vigorously and gave both of them a huge before completely disrobing and throwing her all her clothes off and crawling into bed where she apparently immediately fell asleep.

The week followed with Psalm apparently following Apple around in classes, which made sense in that she was supposed to be a nice character and not evil like Raven.  The Project seemed to be well received, which was good, but they wouldn't know the final verdict until they got the grades with their paper on the three parts of it. 

Things with Psalm were both the same and vastly different.  Whenever she was around there seemed to be a jolt of energy to the room.  She just seemed to move around everywhere.  Fighting and bouncing her legs during lectures.  Characters were naturally drawn to her as she was an anomaly.  First humoring her questions about the dry world, and then actively asking if she knew about a certain subject, hoping that they could show her and get her to ask all her cute questions.  

The teachers seemed caught between also teaching her all she needed to know, and being annoyed that her presence upset their classroom and made everyone so antsy.  At night Psalm would also briefly bounce around the room, look over her homework, toss it to the side since it was usually late when she finally got to their room.  Then she would strip and crawl into bed.

Raven decided that since Psalm really seemed to have no interest in getting her gem back, and no one else was bothering the little pig for it back either, that they should actually try to get Psalm to do her homework and learn something before she got in trouble.  The teachers would only be understanding of her wonder of everything happening around them for so long.  Raven decided she should probably make a plan with Apple as the other girl had become as much a part of the whole ordeal as the rest of them. 

By the end of the week they had convinced Briar to have another study party on Saturday night.  The future Sleeping Beauty had not been thrilled by the idea, but after hearing their worries had finally agreed, though she had sighed about it the entire time. 

Finally on Saturday Raven woke up refreshed.  She smiled to herself as she watched Psalm looking over her clothes she had bought on Friday as Apple sang and fed the birds before she herself headed down for breakfast.  A good deed.  Raven had finally done a good deed.  And more than that, it felt like a perfect fit.  Raven could do it.  She could use her questionable magic to actually create a happy ending for someone instead of just misery and self-servicing. 

So the beginning of the year hadn't started out great with Duchess and Ashlynn.  But Raven had officially started the Rebel movement, and now she was making a poor fishes dream come true.  At first Raven had had a little bit of a panic attack when Psalm had mentioned one night before becoming dead to the world how much she admired Daring that it would cause a rift between Apple and the fish, but Apple had just smiled at the message.  Raven had berated herself.  Of course Apple was used to people, especially young maidens fawning over her boyfriend.  As long as Psalm continued to admire from afar like other girls then there shouldn't be a problem, it wasn't like Psalm was doing it maliciously like Duchess had. 

  Psalm dug right into her breakfast.  Like most animal students, she didn't bat an eye to see her own kind being served up as school.  Actually, apparently she also ate fish.  Smaller fish.

She had gotten her own imirror, and she was happily watching as Blondie rattled on about the newest "news" which as always was just a lot of gossip.  Apparently there was some drama with the next Hansel and Gretel and their just graduated Witch already. 

Raven stopped watching and headed outside to the gardens.  The second little pig had asked for an amulet that would actually protect him.  Raven tried to explain to him that it would be more powerful if he got the raw material himself and asked someone whose magic was naturally for protection and not chaos to finish it, but he had accused her of just being lazy and wanting him to get hurt.  So Raven agreed to make it for him, figuring he wouldn't do it himself anyway and it was safer for him to have something on him for protection against the fake Ashlynn then none. 

Even with the borrowed book on protection charms from the library Raven didn't feel good about what she had collected so far.  She frowned over the flowers, pressing them between bindings so that the flowers wouldn't just be crushed in her sweaty palms.  The quad was as crowded as it ever was on Saturday.  Raven sighed.  She really wished Maddie hadn't decided to become co-president.  While she still saw her friend at brief intervals here and there, it seemed like, especially since the whole Ashlynn thing, Maddie had been swamped with president duties. 

Raven glanced up, mostly looking over if she saw any charms that someone might have bought in town that she could get to stuff the flower concoction into so she could finish up the charm when she saw Psalm holding the imirror to her chest and her usually bright wilted to the point that it looked like tears were running gathering in her eyes.  Raven watched as Apple came over, but apparently Daring had been blocking the future Snow White view of Psalm, because she completely ignored her new friend to give her boyfriend a stealthy hug from behind.  Daring jumped a little and looked behind him and then smiled at Apple and leaned over to kiss his not-girlfriend on the cheek, doing something Raven had never seen him do before, ignore a girl crying in front of him. 

As Psalm turned and started to run away from the happy couple, Raven wondered if Psalm had believed what Apple always said.  Did she really believe that Apple and Daring weren't actually a couple?  Had people reaffirmed that to spare her feelings.  Raven quickly grabbed Psalm's wrist when the fish started to clumsily run past her, and she hurriedly dragged Psalm into the maze of flowers and away from prying eyes.

"It's alright Psalm," said Raven, dragging the other girl into her lap.  She said other meaningless words, but the words weren't important, just the comfort.  Raven sighed.  This was a bit of a mess, but everyone suffered heartache from time to time.  Psalm would bounce back.  Who knew, maybe she was the sort of girl that through herself into romances before they started and always would break down like this when they fell through.  Her high energy personality made that a real possibility. 

"Why?  Why did she pretend to be my friend?" demanded Psalm.  Raven felt her eyes widen.  It would be a really bad thing if she had to deal with Psalm mad at Apple until the Headmaster finally found her a suitable place to stay when she stayed long enough. 

"Apple is your friend," said Raven, trying to find the right words to describe the situation so Psalm would understand and not hold a grudge. "It's just she's used to other girls having a crush on Daring and she really doesn't want to be an official couple because she's big on the whole destiny thing and not getting together officially until he wakes her with a kiss."

"So he's a player," said Psalm hoarsely. 

Raven hug her friend closer, ready to defend Daring.  That while yes he liked looking his best and the attention that garnered him, but that he hated to see anyone, especially girls, in distress and would do anything to cheer or save them.  But then she realized that Psalm had spoken.

"You got your gem back?" demanded Raven. The future Evil Queen felt a tug at her heart.  She didn't want her new friend to leave on bad terms.  But then again, it would make sense that she would suddenly choose to confess to Daring without telling anyone if she suddenly ran out of time. 

Then Psalm shook her head.

"Then how..." Raven asked and then her eyes widened. "Your goal.  You made it confessing to Daring how you feel instead of getting your gem back!"

Psalm nodded her head, tears running in rivers down her face as she squeezed so hard on Raven's shoulders the future Evil Queen was afraid she'd draw blood. 

"Don-don't worry," said Raven, stumbling. "It might take a while, but the Headmaster can find you a place to stay until your magic recovers and then we can try again."

"Why... why is he so cruel?" said Psalm, her hands squeezing hard enough to leave bruises.  Then her body started to shiver.  Raven felt a pang go through her heart.  Why had Psalm fixated her mind on confessing to Daring?  Why had she decided to hinge her change on something so flimsy?  Even if Daring had answered her in a positive way, then she still would have changed into a fish. 

Psalm started muttering angrily, the words lost between her teeth as the magic began to gather on her skin ready to dispel and turn her back into a fish.  Raven's heart twisted again at the pure anger that twisted Psalm's usually happily oblivious face. 

"I hate him," she said, Raven tried to comfort her friend, make her see reason, but suddenly her entire body felt heavy, her skin tingling with magic.  Raven's eyes widened.  She had felt this before.  When she was little she had stupidly accepted a gift of a necklace from a resident of Poison Village without her mother looking at it first.  The necklace had stolen her magic and caused havoc until her mother had killed the woman. Not that anyone mourned the loss of the Evil Stepmother.  In fact, her remaining daughter had completely turned her back on her children following their stories as a result. 

Now her magic, connected by the spell that she had done to do something good for someone, was being pulled out of her, molded to the will of an angry and heartbroken girl.  The world was lost in a haze of purple as Raven's body was dragged down to the ground, she could still hear the screams of students.  She watched the fuzzy vision of Psalm explode above her.  Too much magic in a body only used to the kind and subtle magic of singing.

Finally she felt control of her magic return to her and Raven gasped in a breath like she had been drowned.  Coughing she felt hands on her back.  Raven opened her eyes, but her vision was still tinged purple and a little blurry, but it didn't look like blood and gore was covering her.  Raven brought up her hand and smelled sea salt.

"She exploded into sea water," said a female voice that Raven couldn't place because it sounded like it came from under the water. 

Then Raven heard it properly.  Tiny screams escaping and whimpering come from the quad.  Raven forced herself to her feet, her head spinning, but her vision and power over her own body coming back now that the damage had been done. 

It wasn't hard to find what she was looking for, but with the whispering screams of horror and everything, Raven knew what she saw.  And it was all her fault. 

The thing that people were screaming at was a creature of patchy, ugly fur broken by hard dry scales.  It's face was long with twisted horns, and sharp teeth browned by neglect.  The eyes were bloodshot and angled harshly so even if it smiled it looked menacing.  It had hunched shoulders, and back bones that jutted over its head somehow, and claws at the end of arms that almost reached the ground.

And it was Daring.  Psalm had used Raven's magic to turn Daring into a beast.

Raven turned as if to run from her own creation again, but she stopped.  No, this couldn't be like Duchess.  She couldn't keep abandoning people when they were hurt by the things she did.  This, what had happened to Psalm and Daring, that was her fault.  There was nothing Raven could do for Psalm.  The fish had taken too much magic into her changing body and it had destroyed her, but Daring.  There was hope for Daring, if he didn't destroy himself first.

The beast raged.  Baring its teeth at everyone and everything and shouting at a cowering Apple.  Raven eventually broke through the crowd and jumped between the raging Beast and Apple.  Unfortunately her magic was still recovering from being stolen from her, and she ended getting thrown to the ground by his claws.

"You monster," came yells from the crowd, and it only took Raven a second to realize they weren't yelling at her but at Daring.  The Beast shook his head from side to side, foam gathering at the sides of his mouth and a drop of blood falling from his claws.  He didn't move toward Apple or Raven again though, his breath hard as he looked between them.

"Apple," said the gravelly voice from the Beast only just recognizable as Daring.  Apple stood shakily to her feet. "Apple what happened to me?"

Apple looked over what her boyfriend had become and swallowed, her body shaking.

"You're a Beast," she said.  Daring gasped, taking a step backward as if she had struck him.  Raven watched them from her position on the ground, blood dripping from where she held her arm where Daring's new claws had caught her. 

"But you're still my not girlfriend, right?" he asked, sounding desperate. 

The group gasped when Apple shook her head and repeated. "You're a Beast."

There was a moment of complete silence when a voice yelled from the crowd.

"Yeah, we saw you lash out at Apple when you were changed!" they shouted.  More voices joined in, all accusing Daring of attacking his love and the stories becoming more outrageous and some even using what he did to Raven as a reason he was now evil.  Daring looked all around him, his large beastly head shaking from side to side and his bloodshot eyes rolling frantically in their sockets. 

"No, stop!" shouted Raven.  But the accusations continued.  Raven looked from Daring, to the crowd, to the lost looking Apple standing so far from the one she had claimed she loved.  They all kept yelling so Raven shakily forced herself to stand, her legs shaking under her, but she would clear up what was happening. 

"Everyone calm down!" shouted a voice from above.  They all turned to see the Headmaster coming toward them, a microphone in one hand. "What happened here."

Everyone started talking at once, except Apple and Daring.  Raven lost her temper and her magic jumped from somewhere inside her and suddenly no one could make a sound.

"It's my fault!" she shouted as loud as she could, closing her eyes as she couldn't see the expressions around her. "It's my fault that Daring got turned into a Beast and Psalm is dead.  I'm sorry.  I only wanted my magic to make her happy..." Raven's voice caught and she shook her head.  No excuses, this was her fault, she would take responsibility and make it better.  If she had to be the villain then she would be the sort who tried to correct her mistakes instead of running away from them. "I'll fix it.  I will do whatever it takes to change him back."

"And in the meantime?" asked the Headmaster.  Raven looked up at him in shock.  But while he looked serious, he didn't look angry.

"I'll..." Raven looked over to where Daring stood looking awkward in his oversized and oddly proportioned body. "I'll be there for him. I'll help with everything he needs while I look up a way to fix him."

The Headmaster Grimm stared hard at Raven, and the future Evil Queen found herself melting under his glare.  Would he let her make it right.  Even though she hadn't tried to break the rules, she had been a key point in seriously hurting a fellow classman.  Image was a key point to Daring.  Something he poured his heart and energy into.  And now he was the thing he hated and fought against on a daily schedule. 

"Very well," said the Headmaster making everyone jump in surprise and the whispers and pictures started in earnest.  Raven briefly wondered when Blondie had started recording the event for she was surely there somewhere. "I expect you to shadow him constantly when not in class.  Daring will need help with the simplest things with his new size and claws instead of fingers."

Raven nodded and looked toward Daring.  The Beast stared back at her, anger in every line of his body.  This wasn't going to end well. 

Maybe everyone was right.  Maybe she had been born to be a villain. 


	9. Royal

Apple followed the Headmaster without a sound.  She wasn't sure how to feel at this point.  She had always assumed that she would end up with Daring.  When they had first met each other it had seemed perfect, like they were meant to be together.  They just clicked.  Maybe in presentation they hadn't been perfect. After all, Daring had always been the go out on a dangerous adventure sort to save the damsel, and Apple's story only would have him kiss her.

Still, as a couple, outside the story, they complimented each other perfectly.  It had been the one "deviation" from the story that she had indulged in.  It had helped that Daring had never questioned their being together.  He was brave and handsome, ready o battle and protect his kingdom from all threats.  And though he enjoyed battles, he was also good at delegating in battle and assessing the strength of those around him. 

It was off to know for a while, but the reason that Daring didn't care what story he was a part of, because the only part of the story that he gave any sort of care for was the princess he would end up with.  In other words, the story was just what graced him with a queen and he was more interested in the quality of the queen he would be working with and not whether her story incorporated use of his fighting ability as he assumed he would be using that all his life anyway to protect his realm. 

But now, now he was a monster.  No, he was a beast.

"I don't understand," said Apple as they entered the Headmaster's office and she sank into the chair. "Is there some other story I don't know about?  I thought the story of Beauty and the Beast had already been told a few years ago."

"It did, but fairy tales have a way of showing themselves.  Both Raven and Daring have background in changed princes," said the Headmaster cryptically.

"I never heard about them," said Apple, smiling and nodding her thanks as she was given some warmed cider.  The spices tingled on her tongue and she sank back in her chair.

"Their stories are changed.  Interwoven into generations of confusion," said the Headmaster with a sigh. "It's one of the reasons beyond Raven's mother that the stories have become more strict over the years.  Children following exactly in their parent's footsteps instead of leaving it up to chance.  Stories have always worked themselves into our way of life."

"But they started to go wrong.  To in many ways disappear before the book and the eldest Grimm brother came to set us on the path that would keep our ideal going.  To keep ourselves from disappearing," said Apple with a sigh. 

"Our world is threatened.  The stories have been allowed to become weak, confused by actions that go against the rules of the stories we have been told as children," said the Headmaster, sitting back in his chair and looking out the window. "I've seen places where stories have been forgotten.  Where people like you and Raven no longer exist and in their place is uncertainty.  You give meaning.  You give warnings.  Without them, we cannot find our way."

"So I have to let Daring go," said Apple, looking down at her tea.  She put t on the table.

"Apple," said the Headmaster with a smile. "I know this is hard.  But remember how Daring acted before he was turned into a Beast.  I know you were infatuated with him, but perhaps he did have his own story to tell."

"Then who is mine?" asked Apple, hands twisted together.  She tried to tell herself that she was ready for this.  It was the reason that both she and Daring had agreed to play "not actually girlfriend/boyfriend". They played if off like they wanted to wait for their happily ever after, but really, there had been no guarantee they would really end up together.

"You will find out," said the Headmaster with a long sigh. "Once the stories are ingrained into the culture.  Once we finally make like they shou... like they were before they started to get mixed up and old lessons had to be learned by those without assurances of how their journeys would end.  Well, once that happens this uncertainly will be a thing of the past."

Apple nodded, but couldn't help but feel a tug at her heart.  How could this have happened?  Why did she feel so depressed.  It wasn't like she hadn't prepared for this day.  But maybe she should have tried harder not to get attached.  Maybe that's why Daring hadn't paid enough attention to her.  Or maybe it was that she had been getting too attached and that's why she had started to get jealous. 

Yeah, in the end, that's what it had been: jealousy.  Apple should have known better.  Still it would have been amazing to have her happily ever after include Daring.  But maybe, maybe in choosing Daring she hadn't been thinking about her story.  No.  It had always been selfish to hope and wish for Daring.  There had been so many signs that he just wasn't right for her story.  But she had been selfish.  Daring needed a different story.  One that helped define and bring out his personal traits.  To compliment his gallant nature and to challenge his vanity.  Which, being that creature was definitely one way to start that.   

"Anyway Apple, I also wanted to hear what you've gathered on Ashlynn so far, seeing as she is my responsibility as I let her back into our school," said the Headmaster.  Apple looked at him in shock that he brought it up so abruptly.  Then she smiled.  Really, she was glad to live up to his expectations at least in this manner. 

When she finally go out of the meeting, it was well over lunch.  Still, she said her goodbyes and went out to face the rest of the student body.  This was definitely a time when she wished she could just disappear.  Not be a part of the student body for a while. 

What would she do when Daring confronted her on her actions?  She had called him a monster hadn't she?  She had rejected him.  But that could be passed off as a bad reaction to the situation.  Even Apple was expected to have bad reactions every once in a while.  Oh, they would verbally wonder how such a wonderful person could have reacted so badly, but it would all start to get better when Apple apologized.

Apple turned on her heels and started up toward her dorm.  She had to know what was going on.  She had to know if this was a part of Angel's plan.  The letter Angel had sent with the two ugly stepsisters hadn't explained anything about this.  And she couldn't wait around.  So she was going to mail the girl.

The dorm room offered a little relief.  Apple knew she hadn't gone to her dorm room to run away from everyone, but it felt that way.  At least a bit.  Still, she really did have to get in contact with Angel.  Of course, it turned out the mysterious character either didn't have a site on the net, or had been forced to use some obscure name that even Apple couldn't guess.  The future Snow White couldn't help but wonder when exactly Angels story had taken place because there was absolutely nothing on her on the storynet.  Not even a picture t seemed.  And since Apple didn't know what story the character had been a part of , she didn't know where to start looking for any really obscure photographs or sites.

Of course, Apple could ask Raven, but the way the girl had acted before, well, perhaps it would be better if Raven didn't even have an idea about what is happening.  Still, she had to get a letter to Angel somehow.  To demand answers.  But how?  She couldn't send a letter, that might be intercepted.  That was why Angel had gotten in contact with Apple by sending the letter through the ugly stepsister. 

The future Snow White sighed and realized that it was starting to get dark.  She had to bite back something not so pleasant slipping through her lips.  She had missed dinner this time.  Apple tapped her fingers on her desk.  She could always go to the village, but she only had thirty minutes before she would be breaking curfew, and honestly she was a mess. 

Apple quickly set her alarm clock so she would have plenty of time to eat.  It would be just her luck following this day she would sleep in late. 

With a sigh, Apple started getting ready to turn in.  In reality, it was much too early to even be considering turning in, but Apple just wanted the day to be over.  Maybe if she slept on it she would think of a good way to get in contact with Angel. 

The door opened just as Apple was unlacing her corset.  She paused, face turning a little red as she frantically tried to remember if she had actually locked the door. She hadn't heard the key in the lock.  Apple felt like cursing. She hadn't wanted to deal with anyone until maybe she had a better grasp on how she was going to go forward. 

"Do you need help Apple?" asked Raven, the door closing firmly behind her.  Apple sighed, but this wasn't much better.  Raven had taken charge of Daring and while Apple knew that Raven wouldn't treat him horribly, she knew that the future evil queen had too big a heart to do anything.  She would try to fix him, even though it was her fault that Daring was this way.

It wasn't right. 

Raven shouldn't have taken responsibility.  She shouldn't have tried to help Psalm.  Why did she have to go off script?  Everything would have been fine if Raven had signed the book.

"How is Daring?" asked Apple, somehow easily unlacing the rest of her outfit.  Raven sighed, her footsteps heading to her side of the room.

"We think he's going through the stages of grief," said Raven.

"We?" asked Apple, not being able to stop her stupid tongue.  She didn't want to know this. She wanted to let Daring go.  Let him have the adventure he was always supposed to have.

"I've been talking with Cedar, Hunter, and Cerise were all talking about it," said Raven and then sighed. "The Headmaster got Daring a new dorm room. Already moved his stuff and everything.  It's way up, but dark and musty.  He broke everything.  Ripped his pictures with his claws.  The others helped me get him to ... sleep."

Raven sighed again and it sounded like she let herself fall onto the bed.

"He's so confused," the future Evil Queen said as the bed squeaked under her.  Apple tried not to imagine that the other had propped herself up and was looking at her accusingly.  This was Apple's fault!  She wasn't the one who made it Daring could never be a part of her life again.  "What you did really hurt him."

"What I did?" asked Apple, standing up, her back still facing the Evil Queen though her entire body was shaking. "I wasn't the one who cursed him.  I wasn't the one who made it so he could never be a part of my story."

The words bubbled out from Apple in a mad fury.  She wasn't shouting, but her tone was horrendous, evil, vile.  Apple shivered, took a deep breath in and almost choked on the tears welling up and running down her eyes.  She brushed a quick hand over her face, the hand smudged black from her mascara.

"I'll get him back.  He's not the beast and I'm not his Beauty.  He's supposed to be my prince charming and we're supposed to live happily ever after," Apple forced herself to release a relaxing breath before her spine snapped. "I don't care what you or the Headmaster say.  Daring is mine.  I'll find away to make it right."

"How, you suddenly able to do magic?" asked Raven, her tone bitter as she gave a deep sigh. "I'll make it right, but Daring, he needs you.  He needs to know you'll be there no matter what.  To have someone he trusts and loves to be with him and support him even when he looks like that."

"No," said Apple.

"What?" demanded Raven, the bed squeaking again. "You just said you'd get him back."

"As my prince," Apple finally shouted, turning but yelling so loudly that her eyes were closed. "Not as that thing you turned him into."

"What are looks all you care about? Are you really that shallow Apple?" snapped Raven, acting as if she had the high ground.

"You," said Apple. "None of this would have happened if you hadn't insisted on being what you're not!  Is this situation what you wanted when you refused to take your place?  The book was created for a reason!  Our stories were dying and you're killing the after everything the Headmaster did to save them.  I hope your mother is proud of the devil she raised and inflicted on this school."

With that, Apple ran out of the room, clutching her hand to her chest and throwing on a light robe as she did.  Her feet slapped the stone and she must look completely indecent.  Nothing like the future queen she would soon become, but she had to get out of there.  Had it all been a mistake?  Apple had thought she had known what she was doing when she requested a change and that she be allowed to room with the future Evil Queen, destined to try and kill her because of her envy. Apply had thought she'd been ready for everything.  For a surely demeanor, for Raven to say nasty things about the way she looked.  She expected, and even planned accordingly, for her things to be broken and her clothes ripped and shredded and turned ugly. 

But this.  Apple had never expected this.  Any rebellion she had thought would at least align itself with the story.  That Raven would try to make Apple ugly.  To cast zit spells, maybe try to give her a horrible haircut or even burn her hair.  Apple had wanted to know and show Raven how much Apple appreciated Raven being part of her story.  She had wanted to know the most important part of her story before they were too caught up to have the time.  Raven was important.

And she was mucking everything up!

"Apple?" asked a very sleepy Briar, rubbing her eyes.  Then the future Sleeping Beauty gasped and dragged Apple inside. "Are you okay?  Has something happened with Daring? Are you hurt?"

"I want him back," said Apple, stumbling to sit on her friends fancy bed.  She vaguely could hear the sound of music pumping and even saw a few fairies shaking and dancing around. "I want Daring back."

"The spell might be temporary," said Briar, slowly coming over to sit next to her friend. "Maybe you just have to kiss him."

Apple thought about that for a moment, and the shook her head.

"The book..." she started.

"Right, the book," said Briar with a chipper smile. "That's the thing right?  It's hardly older than us, and they said it might take some time to work out and know for sure generation by generation what stories get told every time.  I mean, look at me.  Mine can only happen ever one-hundred years.  So there has to be some now that won't kick in under the system for great lengths of time too.  Maybe, because the stories are still working themselves out genetically.  Snow White this time around gets two stories.  The one you always wanted, and the one where you get to save Daring first.  Maybe that's how he's able to give you true loves kiss.  I never understood how that could happen before you really met someone."

Apple just gave her friend a smile.  Her mother had never received a "true love's" kiss, according to the match maker.  Oh, yes, it was the story thrown around, but the truth was that while Apple's parents worked wonderfully well together, complimenting each other in strange ways, well, they were also more colleagues than lovers. 

"Maybe," she said again. "But the Headmaster would have told me."

"Maybe not," said Briar.  Apple just gave her a slightly confused slash exasperated look. "It's not like I'm a paranoid Rebel.  More that I know the Headmaster is very set to keeping to the stories.  In this case, he might have realized that the character who tries to discourage the heroine on her path was him.  They do like to appear in stories.  The old character who tell you not to do something that you end up doing anyway."

Apple sighed and let her head fall onto her hands. 

"Hey, why not let it settle for a while.  Let your mind rest.  You ca stay with me if Raven's been bugging you about it," said Briar.  Apple felt she should defend Raven's attitude, bu in the end she just didn't have the spirit or will for it. 

"Thank you Briar, but aren't you studying?" asked Apple with a forced smile.

"Oh, I was just reviewing the material, but I'm certain I'm ready for the Princess and Fairy relations test tomorrow," said Briar with a shrug.  Apple felt all the blood run out of her already pale face. 

"I completely forgot," said Apple in horror.  She didn't even have the excuse of the whole debacle today as she had known about the test since the beginning of the year and had been constantly reminded to start studying all week long.

Briar looked equally as shocked that her usually on top of it all friend had forgotten something so basic.   But she easily laughed it off with a few teasing remarks. 

After that Apple spent a couple of hours "party studying with Briar".  As always, it was surprisingly easy to relearn and absorb the material she would need to know about the class.  Maybe it was the songs and the rhythm that made it easier to remember the information.  Apple fell asleep on Briar's bed though, curling into a small ball in all of her clothes. 

When she woke up, despite the late night, it was still an hour before classes started.  The brownies had gotten her school clothes from her dorm room and were hung on the chair next to her bed.  Apple yawned and started to hum gently under her breath.  She looked automatically toward the balcony door, only to stop, seeing that it already had been opened, Briar already dressed and leaning dangerously over the rail and breathing in deep. 

"Good morning Apple," said the future Sleeping Beauty, looking back toward her friend, feet hardly touching the ground.

"Good morning Briar," said Apple, her voice a bit singsong.  Briar smirked and picked up on the tune and they both began to sing the same song.  Apple got dressed, her voice muffled from time to time.  This was nice.  She remembered last year, when Briar and her had been roommate starting out every morning that Briar was still there when she woke up, with a duet.  That didn't happen with Raven.  Not that Apple had expected it to.  It was just that she missed the easy relationship she had with Briar sometimes. 

"You ready for breakfast?" asked Briar.  Apple nodded, checking her purse to make sure everything was still inside.

"You know Apple.  While we have o follow the stories of our parents, that doesn't mean you have to follow them exactly," said Briar, opening the door and then locking it behind them. She stared at the ceiling or paintings as she talked. "I mean, look at my story.  Technically I should be sleeping by now, but instead I get another year with you guys so I can finish school and be the best ruler I can be one hundred years in the future.  Maybe this thing with Daring isn't part of any real story.  Maybe it's just part of your life.  Something that happens to you but not your parents.  That does happen."

Apple didn't say anything, but did feel relieved when they got to the cafeteria.  They ended up briefly sitting with Cerise.  The other character practically growled at Apple before wolfing down her ham and bacon and leaving in a huff.  At first Apple just shrugged it off as Cerise acting like her usual flighty self, but then Apple remembered that Cerise was one of Daring's oldest friends.

Did that mean that Apple would face a lot of opposition because of how she rejected Daring?  She certainly wasn't going to be looked well on.  They all had stories to tell.  But whoever heard of a story that happened in the school?  It's not that there weren't rumors that it happened.  But the thing was, they weren't supposed to happen on school property.  The school was supposed to prepare you for a future in your story and to take your role in the world. 

That was part of the reason for the contracts after all. 

The test turned out to be a breeze, and Apple found herself spacing not only while she easily filled in the answers, but also as she left.  It felt like she was in a daze.  Her mind compartmentalizing itself without her consciously knowing what it was doing.  As if it was trying to keep Apple from knowing what she herself decided to do about this mess of a situation.  Of course, since her brain was completely on stealth auto-pilot, she didn't even realize that after she moved to her next class in "Good vs. Evil" that she stared at Daring the entire time until he suddenly stood with an anguished cry, spit flying off his fangs to splatter the class. 

Raven wasn't far behind him, and Apple forced herself to take a deep breath in and scan the classroom.  There were clearly characters who blamed her for this situation.  Perhaps they believed that Apple had done the wrong thing, that she should be with her "not boyfriend" helping him through his time of need. 

Maybe Briar had been right in her theories, but the more Apple thought about it.  Not being selfish or stuck on the concept of "he's mine".  The more Apple was sure that he wasn't.  She had always thought it weird she got such a wonderful and brave guy like Daring when all she needed was a kiss.  Still, Apple wasn't a warrior like her mother.  She would need a strong king. 

Well, she needed a strong king, but her story didn't.

The days past in the oddest sense of frozen moments.  Second by second stretched and yet the week seemed to go by in a breath.  This was made surreal by the fact that she hardly did anything she normally did.  She let others go to the aid of those in need, and only did the bare minimum called for by the student president, allowing Maddie to take over most of the work.   Apple knew that there were whispers about her.  But she didn't ask about them.  She knew that Raven had been having her friends watch her.  But she didn't care.

Not until she decided. 

It wasn't until Friday that she finally had all her things sent to her dorm again.  It was interesting that no one had done anything to stop her.  Actually, despite that everyone seemed to be looking at her choice negatively.

Still, perhaps it was time for her to finally make her statements.  Usually Apple wouldn't have minded the negative feelings of people around her.  Apple was used to characters disliking her.  Her mother had taught her how to spot dissent in a smiling face.  How to see that someone was dissatisfied in you and then how to figure out what made them think that.  Was it something to worry about?  Something to fix?

Usually she wouldn't worry about it, but usually Apple knew what she was doing, or at least could put on a good act.  Now.  Now there was no escaping it.  She had decided.  She hoped it was the right choice.  No, she knew it was the right choice.  Daring deserved his story.  He deserved his happily ever after.  Raven also deserved her story.  Maybe having it away from Apple would make it okay.  Maybe by playing whatever role she was supposed to in his story, she would see her worth in his story and apply it to Apple's. 

So at lunch Apple not only walked with her head up and eyes clearly open and face ready to take on the world.  With confidence she sat down opposite of Blondie.  The other character looked up at her.  Apple had only really paid enough attention to Blondie to know that she hadn't been saying anything too scandalous about her.  Blondie looked at her for a second, eyebrow raised and then put her imirror on the table.  Apple hit it and smiled.

Answering the questions was much easier than she expected it to be.  She gave her characteristic smile and just was as honest as she could be without being inappropriate. 

At the end Blondie thanked her, and promised in editing she wouldn't take anything out of context.  Blondie sometimes could dub over scenes about "just right" a little much in her stories, but overall she was a very competent story teller.  Able to tell facts without being too biased.  Or even if her bias showed up, she gave enough true facts that people still had enough knowledge to draw their own, well informed, opinions on the facts. 

After classes Apple found herself in the garden in the gazebo.  Maybe she had made up her mind, but she wanted to take just this one day off for herself.  Let everyone watch her interview with Blondie, and then get back to her hectic life as princess. 

"Hey Apple," said Hunter.  Apple jumped a little and looked up at the boy.  For once he and his pet squirrel weren't at odds.  In fact, as Hunter came into the gazebo, it came down, ran up Apple who tried not to shiver as it's little feet tickled her sides, and wove the stem into her hair.

"Thank you..." Apple left space for the little squirrel.

"Pesky," said Hunter, giving the squirrel a little nod.  The little critter chattered and disappeared out of sight.

"Hello Hunter," said Apple with a friendly smile.  The young man returned the smile shakily and hesitantly came to sit next to Apple.  Apple tried not too long too uncomfortable.  After all, Hunter was a pivotal character in her story.  It was just... well, Apple had known that Hunter was fighting his story long before she knew of others. 

When she was little and didn't yet have the skills to negotiate or understand what she was seeing.  She had been forced to play with Hunter to "make their connection real".  She had seen within the first visit that Hunter had an oddly strong connection with animals and that he didn't eat any of the meat her parents had prepared just for their visit.

Then the next time he had come he had tried to talk to the animals.  Apple had innocently asked after that if the Hunters also talked to animals to catch their prey.  They had left in a huff, and soon after, Snow White had sent Apple with "something they left".  Apple hadn't questioned it at the time.  Then she had gotten there, and probably on orders from her mother, been able to get to their "cottage" without being announced.

She had never spoken about what she'd heard or seen that day.  Her mother hadn't asked when she ran to her room how it had gone.  And when Hunter came back to visit, she'd only said sorry and they hadn't talked unless their parents were present after that.  Apple guilty that her mother had used Hunter's situation to teach her daughter a lesson instead of helping someone in need.  Hunter didn't need his parents to finish his story.

"Raven's noticed that you weren't staring as much today," said Hunter finally. Apple glanced over at him.  Like a lot of people who actually talked to her this week, he wasn't looking her in the eyes. "And your story just went all over the net.  But is it true?  Are you really sure that Daring's not supposed to be a part of your story?  Raven thought that you believed there was still some way he could be a part of your story."

Apple sighed.  So Raven had probably been behind this meeting.  Though Apple wondered how Raven knew Hunter and her knew each other.  Had she misinterpreted what was going on though?  Maybe Raven had sent Hunter for a different reason.

Though did it really matter why he was sent?  Did it change the conversation at all?

"I wanted Daring to be mine, which I guess that's why it was so hard to finally admit to everyone that he isn't part of my story," said Apple with a sigh. "He needs to move on, and I'm sorry if my looking at him when I was disorganized has made this part of his story last longer.  But I do hope that he has his story and is successful despite its late coming."

Silence seemed to stretch between the for a moment. Then Hunter laughed.

"Raven was worried that what you said was a rouse," said Hunter with a nervous laughter that made Apple think that Hunter also had thought Apple was keen on getting her boyfriend back.

"I can see why," Apple admitted. "But, I am a royal.  I believe in our stories.  I believe that no matter the circumstances of the person that their part of their story is important not only to the very foundation of our civilization, but to them as well.  Whatever Darin's story is, I wish him all the luck in the world and that his journey and ending leads to a fulfilled life.  If I can't be a part of his life anymore because it detracts from his story, then so be it."

"But you loved him right?" asked Hunter. "That's why you kept staring."

Apple found herself blushing and then nodded. She looked down from Hunter's eyes to see him gently holding two dates.

"Truthfully it was more like spacing," Apple admitted with a sigh. "Yes, I loved him.  I still, have feelings for him.  But, the story is more important."

"Then wouldn't you like to forget?" asked Hunter, when Apple looked at him with a raised eyebrow, he blushed. "I mean, that you ever loved him?  Or forget why you loved him?"

"Why do you ask?" asked Apple, stalling for time as she thought what would be the best thing to say.  It was a question that she of course had thought about, but not really answered, not even for herself. "Do you want to forget about Ashlynn?"

Hunter now was the one who seemed caught off guard. He thought about it for a while and then finally sighed and gave Hunter a sheepish look.

"I... no, the time we had together," said Hunter and then let his head fall in his hands. "I just don't understand why she continued to pretend to be the next Cinderella after getting together with me.  I mean," Hunter gave Apple a sheepish grin and Apple just shook her head.  Rebels really were disrespectful towards the stories they were meant to lead.  And to think, the Huntsman had even attempted to at least spin his two stories so Hunter would come out looking more heroic.

Apple sighed.

"Perhaps she was so engrossed in her story that she didn't know what to do when offered something else," said Apple, and then forcefully stopped herself.  If it really was true that Ashlynn wasn't the next Cinderella, than Apple would have no real problem encouraging Hunter to explore his attraction to her.  Ashlynn might have been considered evil, but perhaps she would just be fulfilling the role of Hunters mother.  A lesser story not heard of until Hunter's life came in the limelight through his stories.

However, Apple knew the truth. 

"But Daring, he was supposed to be your everything.  He was supposed to be your true love," said Hunter.

"No, he was never supposed to be with me.  Maybe... maybe in some other world it would be the perfect match, and maybe it's not fair to the prince in my story that I have memories and lingering feelings for Daring, but I think in this I would want to be selfish," said Apple.

"Doesn't it hurt?" asked Hunter.

"Yes, of course," said Apple with a sigh. "But there was so much sweet.  I never want to forget what it was like to be his.  I mean, maybe we pretended to only be 'not girlfriend and boyfriend', and maybe we never actually kissed, but we were still together.  We still meant the world to each other.  It's why Daring hurts so much that I abandoned him.  It's why it hurts me so much to abandon him.  But I know we'll both be better, our stories will be better, if we let each other go."

Apple sighed and sank down in her seat.  She saw Hunter look down at his dates.  She smiled at him.  He really shouldn't be getting himself involved in these stories.  But maybe, maybe everything was working itself out again. It felt horrible, but here was Hunter, working with Raven.  He was supposed to be her right hand man, her servant, until he betrayed her to rescue her. 

In Raven's time of need, as it had been properly in the story, Hunter had gone to her.  He was loyal to her, going against Apple's wishes, joining her side.  Their story would o on.

Apple was just slowly coming to realize how much it would hurt her to be a part of her stories.

"Hey," she said, since they hadn't officially begun their story, and well, Hunter needed to like Apple in order to save her. "You mind sharing one of those dates?"

Hunter looked at her in shock and then down at his fruit.  Apple worried he would refuse and make her peace offering useless.

"I'm really sorry Apple, I promised them to Pesky for his help," said hunter, reaching out as if to touch the flower.  He blushed and then pocketed Apple's dates.  Apple found herself blushing.  In some of the princesses in the part who had had her story, they had ended up together.  Sharing a cottage.  Well, the ending had been different in many ways.

"Well, can't go back on a promise," said Apple with a sigh.  She opened her mouth and then closed it.  She had already said sorry for telling the Huntsmen about Hunter. "Hunter, you ever need someone to talk to, just find me okay?  We're both an important part of each other's stories."

Hunter smiled at her, not really answering.  Apple decided to do the decent thing and leave the gazebo first. She would leave Hunter to his thoughts. 

Without actually thinking about it, Apple found herself wandering to Briar's room again.  In the end, Apple shock her head and headed in.  She would go back to her dorm room that night, but she should be polite and formally thank Briar for letting her crash in her dorm room.  When she entered the room, she found Briar leaning out the window.

"You know, you should put something under your window if you want to keep falling from it," said Apple.

"I do, but someone keeps moving it," said Briar.  She leaned back and Apple saw that her friend was holding Hopper in frog form out in front of her.  Briar threw the poor boy at Apple. "Come on, there's a party to get to."

"Of course there is," said Apple with a sigh, letting herself get pushed out the door.  She smiled down at Hopper, who blushed.  Really, the poor guy was just getting pathetic in his infatuation with Briar.  It was silly to try and get in a romantic relationship who was supposed to be woken by true loves kiss one hundred years in the future.  Plus, Briar just wasn't interested in relationships at all.  Sure she talked about hot guys and dated a little, but she never stayed interested long, and she was always technically faithful to her future love. 

At least Apple thought so.

The doors to the party in the gym opened and Apple found herself swarmed by her friends.  She smiled and allowed herself to get caught up in a hug by the two future Repunzel's and even made a statement for Blondie. 

Yes, now that she had her head on straight, everything would work out fine.  No need to worry about Daring, he would work things out in his own story.  Raven was there to help him in her own way.  No need to bother Angel, but it would work out in the end. 


	10. Rebel

Daring had gone mad.  He frothed at the mouth and struck out with sharpened claws at anything that moved.  His few lucid moments lent to deep depression, that made him unresponsive to almost everyone around him.  Raven had born the madness as best she could.  First simply trying to create a spell that would cover both of them, protecting them from the outside world.  Unfortunately, it hadn't lasted long, as the spell protecting them had started lashing out and harming those around them.

Thankfully only an hour after everything happened, the Headmaster found a practically abandoned tower room for Daring to live in.  Getting him there, that would be the trick.

Raven yawned, leaning against the wall and looking over Daring, who currently was bent over and muttering to himself.  He kept giving Raven quick looks.  The next Evil Queen just leaned as if bored as she listened to him, she wasn't stupid.  Daring was unstable, and his muttering wasn't so much shocking as understandable.  Once again, Raven had grown up in the Poison Village where most evil characters were bound after their story if they survived.  She had met both characters who thought they had been the hero all along and had gotten the princes captured after trying to do some great deed.

What Raven needed to do was both keep diligent watch over everything Daring did and said while also trying not to be obvious.  The best thing to do was think of him like he was actually under her spell.  Which he was, it just wasn't a spell she had placed on him purposefully. 

"Hey Raven," said a scratchy voice.  The future evil queen spun around to see Cedar, Cerise, and Dexter standing behind her.  Cedar was smiling at her having been the one who had spoken.  Cerise was looking off to the side, her face twisted as her hands gripped her cloak with enough force to rip it slightly as she ground her teeth together.  Dexter was staring at his brother in fascination.  "Raven?"

"Sorry Cedar, I didn't hear that part," said Raven, realizing that while she was caught up in the fact they showed up that she hadn't been listening to what they had to say.  Cedar gave her a shaky smile, sent a quick glance toward Cerise, and then took in a deep breath.

"We wanted to know if you needed help with anything.  You know, getting Daring comfortable, or however as he can be considering the circumstances," stumbled Cedar, playing and ruffling her skirts unconsciously.

"Daring isn't listening that well at the moment," said Raven slowly.  Cerise snorted and Raven realized that what she had said, while not meant to be disparaging toward Daring, could easily be misunderstood in a negative light by her friends. "Not that I blame him.  I mean this is my fault, mostly, but this isn't a safe for him at the moment.  Not for the characters around him or to himself. "

"We should get him to a safe place," said Dexter, still looking at his brother, seemingly to shocked by the physical changes and the way it was effecting his usually cool, collected, and vain brother. 

"The Headmaster said the top tower dorm is ready for him, but Daring is..." Raven searched a second for the right word before giving up and shaking her head.  What was the best way to tackle this anyway?  All her knowledge of dealing with princes under her evil magic had her treating them horribly. 

Still, she had promised to keep Daring safe.  That was the goal at the moment.  Not to be the good guy, just keep Daring safe until Raven found away to save him.  Raven bit her lip.  How was it that she kept becoming the villain?  She just wanted to help characters, and yet there was Duchess who hadn't been seen since Raven's impulsive magic to stop her from... whatever the dancer had wanted to do.

Why was Apple hers?  Shouldn't Duchess had said that Daring was hers?

Raven shook her head.  One problem at a time.

Daring released another howl of rage.  Cedar looked his way and tapped her fingers nervously and bounced on the balls of her feet.  With a sigh, Raven folded her hands together and tried to think of a good solution.  Her friends posed both a wonderful opportunity but also an obstacle.  Before she could work on her own terms, now she had to watch what she said, how she went about helping Daring.

How could she be good?  How could she do this the right way? 

No, this had gotten her in so much trouble.  Raven could never do anything correctly.  She had tried so hard and yet, well, she was looking at the products of her attempts to help. 

“Raven,” snapped Cerise. The future evil queen glanced only to hold back a gasp at how furious Cerise was.  Her very eyes seemed to turn yellow and feral. “You need to help him.”

The voice that came from Cerise might be terrifying.  There was a look in her face that made her seem animalistic, as if she could open her mouth and there would be a row of sharp teeth that would rip and tear Raven across.

“Cerise,” growled Daring, taking careful steps forward toward them.  Then it hit Raven and she glanced at Cerise.  The other character met her eyes and then Raven thought she saw a slight nod.  With a slick slip of her fingers, Raven had to wonder if Cerise had planned on at least trying this approach, though, she might have planned to chase Cedar instead.  Now Cerise looked the part of her opposite, the wolf.  Well, perhaps a more human appearance.  A mix…

Cerise made a swipe, and her elongated nails just scraping against Raven’s arms.  Blood welled and Raven turned and ran.  There was a growl and Raven caste a quick spell, sighing in relief when she felt her shoes slip from her feet.  Better to run barefoot than to trip over her heels.  She didn’t think Cerise would do more than give her a couple scratches if she did get her, but that changing spell she had used sure made her look frightening.

With all that was going on, Raven almost missed her first turn toward Darin’s new dorm.  She hastily tried to get her feet under her.  She pushed up on the balls of her feet, spinning and slipping on her socks, though they were still probably less dangerous than her heels.  She could hear growls and the scrapping of claws behind her.  She hoped the school didn’t suffer too much from everything going on. 

Then again, the high school did cater to all sorts of creatures, from human to fairy, from good to evil and everything in between.  If nothing else, the sheer number of different, half trained magic’s bouncing against each other had led to at least one big renovation of some part of the school grounds ever since Raven was a student at least.

At last they reached the dorm; Raven hadn’t been scratched anymore by Cerise.  Though she still felt she’d be heavily bruised the next day with how much she fell over and slipped on her socks at every single turn. 

Cerise and Raven stared at each other for a second, Raven gasping and Cerise not even breathing hard.  Then Daring barreled through a second later and pinned Cerise against the wall.  He growled at her, and while Cerise was pinned to the wall, whatever magic was still coursing through her had her growling back and digging her claws into Daring’s hand.

“Cerise, look out!” shouted Dexter.  Raven jumped a little as the other Prince charming came barreling in and threw something in Daring’s face.  The beast that was now Daring made a growling noise deep in his throat before they all fell into a deep sleep.  Thankfully Dexter wasn’t the only character to come help, and Hunter and a female troll caught Daring and brought him over to his bed.

After racking her mind trying to figure out what the troll’s name was and where Dexter could have gotten sleeping powder and what was needed to wake him from it.  Perhaps the whole chase idea hadn’t been the best.  It had gotten Daring up to his dorm, but not much good in that when he got up here he had to be sedated with magical sleeping powder to fall asleep. 

Then Cerise appeared to be groaning and Raven ran over to her, sure that Daring didn’t need her help at this moment.  Cerise however was groaning and holding her side. 

“Are you alright?” asked Raven, leaning down carefully next to the character.  Cerise looked up, a snarl curling her lips and those yellow eyes staring out with anger.  Then the spell seemed to disappear and Cerise’s face evened out.

“Evil a foot, Raven is attacking Cerise!” shouted a voice from the door.  All of a sudden a dozen characters had appeared in the doorway, some even with knives and pitchforks, all glaring at Raven.  Raven, used to this reaction from her fellow students, backed up, hands up with a roll of her eyes.  Alright, so lately Raven’s spells had been backfiring on her, and technically, she could still do harmful acts to her fellow classmates.  After all, the contracts still allowed for regular spells, evil spells against inanimate objects, and even harmless pranks.  So things like with Psalm and Duchess were known to happen, if just not as often as it had happened recently. 

“She was trying to help me,” snarled Cerise. Guy, the next Boy Who Cried Wolf just shrugged, as if he knew that Raven wasn’t actually attacking Cerise.  And, if he had seen them running up the stairs, it would have been clear that Raven was the one being attacked.  Guy gave her a sideways look and smirked before turning his back and slipping away.  The other students rolled their own eyes, safe in the idea that Raven wasn’t doing anything else, and muttering about destiny and going back to whatever they had been doing so high up the tower. 

The boys quickly got back to bed after rolling their own eyes.

“You alright?” asked Raven turning toward Cerise.

“Fine, I’ve been through worse,” said Cerise while brushing off her dress.  The next Red Riding Hood glanced toward where Daring was being put to bed.

“You’re friends with Daring, aren’t you?” asked Raven carefully.  She’d never really seen Cerise and Daring hang out that much at school, but then again, until last year she had spent most of her time among Madeline and Cedar.  Only this past year had she spent anytime around Apple and any of the royals.  Still, she had always heard the rumors.  Mostly Daring’s fan girls trying to figure out whether Cerise would take away the little time they dreamed they might get with Apples intended. 

Past intended.

Ever since she had refused her destiny, things had been getting weird.  Raven had thought… had known that things would get out of control.  But she had pictured petty fighting over destinies.  Instead, things just seemed to go wrong in all the wrong ways.  Raven hadn’t meant to breakup Apple and Daring, but it made sense didn’t it?

Apple was all about her destiny and not interfering with other destinies.  Daring was her sweetheart, until his story changed.  He was no longer the dashing prince whose only goal in life was to save the princess.  Now he needed saving of a sort.  This was a job, at least to Apple, for the next Beauty.  But the next beauty had graduated and already fulfilled her destiny and had no known siblings, at least, Raven didn’t think so. 

“You’re bleeding,” said Cerise, grabbing Raven’s arm.  The future Evil Queen gasped and reflexively tried to pull away.  Cerise let go and their eyes met again. “You should see the nurse.”

Raven shook her head.  She did not want to see that centaur or his nymphs.  Her story might not be a part of his, but for some reason he still took a vested interest in her health.  And any healing he did had some sort of odd repercussion to it that no one else with that cold or injury suffered.

“I’ll be fine.  They hardly broke the skin,” said Raven and then smiled at Cerise. “What about you?  Daring pinned you pretty hard against the wall.”

“As I said, I’ve had worse,” said Cerise.

“Here, let me look at those cuts,” said Dexter.  Raven was left speechless as the usually awkward and reserved Charming Brother took over the room, and with a sort of determination that Raven had never seen anymore. In seconds he had sent out the troll to get warm water and Hunter to get bandages.

Blood had soaked up into the bandages by the time Dexter started to properly treat the wound.  Which might be a little worse than Raven was making it out to be, but she had dealt with worse wounds in the past. 

“Daring is your friend, isn’t he?” asked Raven again, glancing over where Daring was snoring and then at Cerise.  The future Red Riding Hood followed her gaze and then shrugged.

“He and his father helped mom and I when dad…” Cerise stopped talking then and shook her head. She sighed and held Raven’s hand in hers. Her gaze then going to the bandages. “I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I understand,” said Raven dismissively. “I hurt your friend.  You just lost control because of that spell is all.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” said Cerise with a shake of her head, walking away and going over to where Daring was laid out on the bed.  Raven followed hesitantly behind, arms crossed over her stomach and no real plan in the works. 

“I was the one who made Psalm human,” said Raven, looking away.

“You think I don’t know how that magic works?” asked Cerise with a shake of her head. “You weren’t the one who changed Daring into a beast.  Psalm took the gift you gave her and used it to do this.  You tried to do a good thing.  It’s not your fault that Psalm used your magic to hurt someone.”

“Really?” asked Raven, not sure about that herself.  She knew her magic was evil, she should have guessed that nothing good would happen even knowing the spell to turn Psalm evil.  And now Daring was a monster and Psalm was gone.  Turned to sea foam simply by channeling her magic. “It doesn’t matter either way.  I’m still going to help Daring.”

“We’ll help you,” said Cerise, placing a gentle hand on Raven.  Raven smiled and pushed her head against Raven’s.

“How should we start?” asked Cedar, seeming to appear from nowhere, and somehow, someone did the right thing, probably one of the boys because they were closest to Daring, the sleeping spell woke up.

With a cry to the air that had all the human characters grabbing at their ears, Daring woke up.  He surged from the bed, knocking Hunter and the female troll to the ground.  Raven took an instinctual step back, but she noticed that Cerise went for that potion at her side.  She wondered if she had more and if that meant Cerise thought with the strength that potion provided she would be able to take on Daring in this beastly form.

But after knocking the other guys to the side, Daring didn’t seem to have any interest in any living thing in the room.  Instead he targeted every picture in the room, ripping them to shreds.  The furniture was smashed as one by one each of them tried to stop him.  Finally he tried reached the mirror.  There was a moment when he just stared at what he saw, and Raven wondered if this is the first time he really saw himself.  Before he had just known he had changed and that the form wasn’t normal or desirable.  Now he could see what he had become. 

The mirror shattered as Daring drove his fists struck the thing.  The image was fragmented and Daring made to grab it with his bloody claws. 

“Ow,” said Dexter, falling to ground and clutching his side.  Raven stared at him in confusion, not remembering him ever actually being in his brother’s way.  Then Daring was over at Dexter, leaning over and making shushing sounds.  He placed his brother on his bed and starting muttering at Dexter, his brother’s voice lost in the awkward maw that was now his mouth. 

“What are we going to do?” asked Cedar.”He’s losing his mind.”

Cedar shrugged as Cerise growled at her, probably because the future Red Riding Hood had never been around Cedar much before that, and wouldn’t know that Cedar didn’t know or have the ability to curb her tongue. 

“He saves those in need,” said Cerise, her tone less than impressed. “Maybe we can capit…”

Her words died away as when the female troll left with his brother.  They all waited for the next big panic attack.  But instead of going back to trashing his room, Daring started to bawl.  The cries were that of a dying animal and they all took a step back.  Hunter showed Daring the sleep potion, and the Beast took it and downed the entire thing.  Hunter looked a little shocked.

“We need a plan,” said Raven, watching as Daring slumped down onto the bed.  She turned to her friends. “Please, can you help?”

Everyone nodded.

In the end it wasn’t so much a plan that they figured out as several possibilities to tryout.  First they needed to see how Apple and the rest of the school acted.  The general idea was to try and get Apple to support Daring as she could.  Maybe not as girlfriend, but as moral support.  If she was there, he would have someone who made sense to save and who he had an emotional connection to.

If saving his brother had calmed him down that much, then saving a damsel would be perfect. He would be back to his normal personality in no time, maybe even before Raven found a way to break the spell.  Plus, with Apple taking some of the care of Daring away from Raven, the future Evil Queen would have time to look up away to turn him back into his old self. 

Of course, nothing goes like it was supposed to.

Raven looked down at her imirror.  What was this?  How could she tell her friends what had happened?  Apple was going to be working against them.  Raven had thought it over, but she couldn’t figure out how to work Apple’s plan.  Apple wasn’t being a damsel, not in a traditional sense.  Not in a way that Daring could save.  At least, Raven didn’t think she was.  Maybe tomorrow in class, Apple would have figured away to act toward Daring that had her sighing and falling to the ground in fainting spells. 

But Raven doubted it.  It sounded more like Apple was going to go off on some sort of quest for Daring’s old looks, not become the thing he need to save. 

Still, maybe Raven was letting this all go to her head.  After all, what Apple had said, especially at the end of her rant, had shown angry she was at Raven and what she had caused to happen to her love.  But it didn’t seem that this would be good for either of them. 

She needed another idea, or, maybe instead of jumping the gun, she should just see how things went the next day.  Raven sighed and fell onto her bed.  It wasn’t really fair that Apple felt she had to leave when Raven was the one who had been causing all the trouble.  Raven sighed.  If only Apple had left her alone and let her be roommates with Maddie, then Raven wouldn’t feel so bad about how her actions were causing the person who was trying to force her on a path she didn’t want to be on.

The next day dawned and Raven had a new class schedule sent her way with Baba Yaga as brownies came in to collect some clothes and school supplies and send it to wherever Apple had spent the night.  Raven looked at her schedule.  So many classes she was supposed to attend, but not actually be a part of.  Still, it would be very interesting to see what the princes learned.  Her mother would certainly be interested in their plans. 

Waking Daring was a bit of an adventure, and after everything that happened, Raven spent her time both trying to direct him with Hunter to the princess and prince class where they found a seat next to Dexter who smiled hesitantly at them and actually engaged his brother talking about how his recovery was doing.  Which did help take Daring’s mind off things.

Then Apple walked through the door.  The few characters already in the classroom went absolutely silent.  Not that Apple seemed to notice.  Raven felt her breath catch as she realized that Apple wasn’t looking at anything around her. The reason could have been her studies, but Raven seriously doubted it. 

Raven did the best she could, but in the end, she just couldn’t concentrate on her own studies she now got through her school escript. But she kept being distracted by both Apple and Daring.  Daring hadn’t even put a mark on his test yet, and since appeared to be pretending that her former boyfriend didn’t even exist.

It didn’t get better in Good vs. Evil.  Instead of ignoring Daring the entire time, Apple appeared to not be able to look away.   She just stared at him, not trying to make any contact through text or anything, she just stared, this anguished look plastered across her face.  Daring became more and more agitated by her staring until he finally snapped and threw a fit.  Bolting out of the door, ripping into desks and bags on his way past and leaving a mess in his wake. 

Raven followed as best she could, eventually forced to abandon her heels again or break her neck or ankles.  Eventually they ended up screaming at the top of the castle walls.  Well, Daring did.  Raven clung to the closest spire.  It wasn’t that she was afraid of heights, but when on the precipice of falling, she’d rather be safe than sorry.  Daring did not seem to believe in this, as he stood and close as he could to the edge, seeming to lean into the wind and over the edge as he screamed and screamed and screamed.

Finally he calmed down, turning his bulk, and brushing past Raven as he headed back inside.  All through this and he hadn’t said a word to Raven.  He hadn’t asked her why she decided to help him.  He hadn’t accused her of doing this.  Actually, besides trying to save her from Cerise, he acted like she didn’t exist at all.  Like he had no one shadowing him, trying to help him, trying to keep him from hurting others. 

“Not going so great, huh?” asked Hunter, appearing from nowhere.  Raven glanced his way, sighed, and shrugged.

“I just don’t know what to do to help him right now,” Raven admitted. “I mean, I can look up any spell I want, and if it’s evil I can probably make it happen.  But right now Daring doesn’t even need me to fix him, he just needs a friend to support him, and I’m not that.  I don’t think we’ve ever said anything more than “hi” to one another.  We just weren’t on each other’s radar despite my being part of Apple’s story.”

“Can’t say I’m a close friend of Daring either,” Hunter admitted with a shrug. 

“No,” said Raven with a sigh, hanging her head.  Then she gasped and went for her imirror. “But I think I know someone who is.”

It didn’t take long to convince Cerise to come over and explain to her what had happened and what they thought Daring needed.  Not someone to save, just a friend to talk to.  Cerise agreed and seemed to push the idea that perhaps they should make their plans with the idea that Apple would not be helping from now on.  After that, the future Red Riding Hood pushed Raven and Hunter out of the room they had taken to let Daring calm down in, citing that this needed to be a private talk between her and the future Prince Charming.

“You sure this was a good idea?” asked Hunter, and Raven winced when she heard something crash against the wall inside the room.

“They’re supposed to be old friends, right?” asked Raven, hands clenched in her lap. “Do you think Cerise is right about Apple?”

“I don’t know,” Hunter admitted with a shrug, his eyes on the door. “I mean, this was a shock to Apple, and while Apple is great, she’s not perfect.  This could just be something she’s going to have trouble coming around to, but when she does is the best influence we could hope for.”

“Do you think we should wait for her to come around?” asked Raven, wincing again as something shattered in the other room and a loud roar echoed out into the hallway.

“No,” said Hunter. “Daring needs help now, but that doesn’t mean we should completely discount her, just not make an end goal with her in mind.”

Raven nodded.  If they could fix Daring before Apple got her act together, nothing would be wrong.  Well, perhaps their relationship would never be the same, but still…

“This is just all so complicated,” said Raven, letting her head fall her in hands.  Hunter chuckled and drew Raven into a hug.  Raven smiled at him and then started look for her imirror. “We should get Maddie and Cedar here.  Cedar’s usually good at organizing our ideas in a way that makes sense.”

“And Maddie?” asked Hunter sounding skeptical.  Raven shrugged.

“She usually confuses the situation at first, but at some point she’ll say just the right thing that turns out to be the solution to all our problems,” said Raven.

“You know, that actually sounds exactly like her,” said Hunter. 

“Alright you two, come on in, he’ll behave,” said Cerise from the door.  She left it opened as she went back inside, slipping in through the crack and waving them in with one last flick of her wrist as she went back to Daring.

Raven went back inside to see Daring hunched over in the corner sending Cerise pouting looks. 

“So, he’s calmed down for the moment,” said Cerise dryly. “What now?”

It took only Raven a moment to realize that Daring still wasn’t ready to talk to her yet.  Thankfully her friends appeared and while Daring stalked around on the porch outside.  They had invited him to join, give his ideas on how he would feel comfortable getting used to his new body, but instead he just continued to pout.  Cerise had called him a big cub, and they just started talking.

They decided it was best to mix letting him be the hero, to know that despite his appearance he was still the hero he had always been, and just being there and letting him know he still had friends.  Of course they were still in high school where unfortunetly not only did Daring now look the part of a beast, but he had been doing a pretty good impression for the last few days of actually being one.  Just those few outbursts that characters had seen already had started coloring how they looked at the once popular charming, and while no one made fun of him or called him evil, the regular population of the school avoided him as much as possible.

Still, despite that, Daring was doing well.  There had only been a few times that he destroyed anything, and that was usually when he caught a glance of himself in the mirror or he tried to stylize his hair.  Then it just took a little growling and scolding from Cerise, or Dexter talking about a pretend new injury to take his mind off of it. 

The biggest problem ended up being Apple.  Unlike normal, Apple did not have herself together.  She just seemed to float from class to class, and whenever possible she never was away from Briar’s side.  She didn’t do her usual princess duties, and she didn’t seem to believe in being her usual sparkly self.  The school was in complete disarray.  They couldn’t seem to decide who to blame the situation on.  Well, Raven obviously, but the general belief that no one was doing the right thing.  That Apple should not turn her back on Daring and that Daring should be taking his beast form in stride and just acting like a prince instead of freaking out about how he now looked. 

So what did need to happen?

With Apple mopping and then spending hours just staring at Daring, it was one of the things that was more likely to spark a fit from Daring later. 

“I wish they had never really liked each other,” muttered Cerise on Thursday.  Which sparked an idea in Raven. 

She took out her old potion equipment from under her bed.  She had been hiding it from Apple.  Raven found it best not to show her friends with good destinies this little prize she had.  It tended to make them nervous, didn’t help that it looked like some sort of evil contraption with all the spikes, glowing powders, body parts, and slime scattered in various vials and bottles. 

“Hey Raven,” said Hunter, entering into her dorm.  Raven glanced from her potion, which let out a little puff of power as the spell ended. “What do you need these figs for? You sounded pretty frantic on the phone.”

“It’s just an idea,” said Raven, not looking at him. “You don’t need to help me, I mean; it’s not exactly a good thing to do.”

“Well, that’s different,” said Hunter coming to look at her figs. Raven didn’t ask if he was being sarcastic or not. “What is that supposed to do exactly?”

“No matter what Apple and Daring said, they really did love each other and now are having a hard time letting each other go now that they no longer can be together because of what’s happening.”

“And…” asked Hunter.

“Well, this potion when added with the figs will turn all those memories platonic,” said Raven. “It will seem to them like they were just friends who were acting like a couple to please their future stories.”

“Are you sure that’s the best thing?” asked Hunter.  Raven sighed.

“I don’t know what else to do,” Raven admitted. “Daring can’t move forward with remembering what he once had with Apple.  And Apple is miserable remembering the love she shares with Daring while also believing that she can’t be with him. It’s not fair to either of them, and it isn’t helping either of them move forward with their lives.”

Raven added the potion to the figs.  Rolling both in the mixture until the fig felt the same as it had before it had been soaked. The future Evil Queen turned, looking down at her spells and then handed them to Hunter.

“They won’t accept them from me,” said Raven, looking down at the floor. “Will you do this?  For our friends?”

Hunter hesitated looking at the figs before he nodded.

The next day started with Apple renouncing her hold on Daring and Hunter giving both of Apple and Daring the fig.  Handing the pits back to Raven to safely dispose of.  Raven instead of getting rid of them, hid them in a compact with a spell that wouldn’t allow anyone to get inside except her.  The party that night was epic, well, at least Raven was told by her friends it was, and she watched some of it on her imirror pad while Daring and her were doing homework. 

Late the next day, Raven was woken by a knock on the door.  She sprang up from where she was sleeping on the couch in Daring’s dorm room.  Raven looked around, realizing that she must have fallen asleep while trying to go over her own work after trying to help Daring learn everything he had missed when being distracted by his own problems.

The door creaked open and Raven sat up, not wanting to intrude, but wanting to be ready in case whoever it was needed to speak to her, or it was someone who posed a threat to her or Daring.

“Hello Daring,” said Apple, not stepping into the room, but her voice clear and crisp and making Raven want to go back to pretending to sleep on the couch.  Or that she had made it back to her room the other night. “I just wanted to check on how you were doing.  I’m sorry I haven’t been here this last week, I just guess I was so surprised about what happened.”

“It’s…” Daring then made that smacking, gnashing sound he sometimes made when he had tried to speak like he had his normal human mouth and thus his words were getting confused in his mouth before he was even able to say them.

“No, it’s not fine.  You’re my friend Daring,” said Apple now actually walking into his room. “And I’m going to help Raven help you find the princess that will break your curse.”

“Space,” said Daring.  Apple looked at him in confusion. “I need space.”

Apple’s expression looked regretful, but she nodded.

“I understand,” said Apple made to reach forward before she backed off and forced a smile. “Let me know when you need me, or need to talk to me. I’m here to help.”

Apple turned on her heels and walked away. Giving Raven a small nod as she did so.

“Friend,” said Daring, falling to his knees. “She said she was my friend.”

He sounded so happy and lost at the same time. His shoulders shook in pain and tears. Raven walked over to him, putting her hand to touch him, though pausing, still not sure where she stood with him.  He still hadn’t really acknowledged her.  Suddenly he pulled her into tight hug, using her more like a tissue or anything.  Raven made shushing sounds and hoped that this really would help Daring in the long run.  The fact he was reaching out to someone and actually seemed to be grieving had to be a good thing.

Right?


	11. Royal

The air was chillier now, layers of clothing were added to already heavy outfits, and the cafeteria started serving more warm food likes soups.  Apple had always been fine with the cold.  Often, she could get away with short sleeve shirts until the middle of November, something the others wondered hadn’t been a result of her mother’s enchantment.  Skin as white as snow and all that.  It would have been preferable to have the black hair, but there it was.

Still, to help cheer Apple up, Briar had made her a nice thin overcoat out of see through light material that was just warm enough to keep out the chill, but also beautifully fashioned.  Apple ran a hand along the delicate lace and up to follow some of the intricate beading.  Briar tended to go all out partying or sew when she started to feel stressed.  Two past times that drove her mother to tears.

There was a hush and then rise of whispers on the quad.  Apple looked up, not too shocked when she saw Raven and Daring walking together through the quad.  Daring growled at people that were staring at him, but whimpered when Raven snapped something Apple couldn’t hear.

Neither of them looked at the future Snow White.

Apple sighed, forgetting her homework as she glanced to the side, hand carving through her hair absent-mindedly.  Perhaps she should go out and do a few good deeds.  There were sure to be some charity work that needed to be done in the village.  Or some club or teacher needed her help. 

She could worry about homework closer to bedtime.

“Hey, Apple, you get a little lost?” asked Poppy, appearing right in Apple’s face.  Apple blinked, her eyes almost going cross-eyed as she tried to look the other girl in the eyes.  She gave Poppy a nervous smile, leaning back to give them both some breathing room, feeling herself relax as she did so.

“Lost where?” asked Apple, slipping her imirror into her bag, followed by a couple of her school books.

“Don’t know, you were just looking into the sky,” said Poppy.  Apple laughed.

“Oh, I was just wondering if there was anywhere that might need my help now,” said Apple truthfully. She didn’t even need an excuse as to why, because as the next queen, she was expected to always be helping the people in need around her.

“Oh, your Princess senses must have been tingling,” said Blondie, appearing behind Poppy with a giggle as she turned on her imirror.  Apple straightened and turned her brightest smile for the camera.  Always show your best face to reporters and anytime you’re being recorded.  It was amazing what would happen if you frowned for even a moment.

Thankfully Poppy also took this time to straighten.  She pushed at her dress.  Fixing a smile on her face.  Some of their friends found Blondie’s need to act like a reporter annoying and intrusive.  Often feeling cheated by what she posted, but Apple thought that Blondie was the perfect person to practice being in the public eye and under attack by paparazzi and attack pieces. 

Not that they hadn’t had to deal with reporters since they were little. But it had always been in context of how they reflected their parents. Soon they would be followed around as representatives of themselves.  No childish tantrums solely blamed on parents.  Now you had to be the best person in media.  Give them nothing but silly little things that they’d try to drag you through the mud for, but would ultimately just help you appear more human to your people.

So, Blondie helped them navigate hard social situations in which someone would always catch wind of something made too public and then post it where everyone would see.  It was annoying at time, yes, but Apple appreciated it from her.

“Well, Apple, it just so happens the Lost Fairy Tales are having some trouble with their bake sales.  Half of them are sick and they don’t have enough people to man the stalls,” said Blondie.  Apple smiled.  Yes, that sounded like a perfect diversion.

“That sounds perfect,” said Apple, and stood.  Poppy ended up following them to the stall right on the edge of the school’s boundaries and close to the village.  There was a fair amount of traffic, and the smell of baked goods filled the air. 

Apple smiled at the few lost characters that were still able to man the stall.  The main girl running around was the youngest daughter of the Witch from Hansel and Gretal.  A girl without a story as far as anyone could tell, because Hansel and Gretal were already playing out the story with Ginger’s older sister.  How would Ginger play out any story without someone to work with?

Especially since the other witch wasn’t able to branch out to any other thing beyond lots and lots of baking.  She was literally useless at all other magic.  Poor girl.

By the end of the day, she felt like she had gotten enough good deeds done to fill her up with enough vigor to face Ashlynn and Daring for a week.  Or at least a few days.  Apple never knew if it was easier that neither of her old friends spoke to her or not.  Daring because he needed space, and Ashlynn because she just worked as a servant, usually out of sight, but sometimes appearing out nowhere dusting or moping and refusing to look at anyone.

Which was fair enough seeing as they all glared at her like they had done something wrong.  Which, they thought Ashlynn had, but still.  Why were they all so petty?

Apple wasn’t surprised when she opened the door to see that Raven hadn’t returned to their room.  She settled down to study, and when her clock rang nine o’clock she had figured that Raven wasn’t returning to their dorm room again.  Apple hoped she wasn’t crashing with Daring.  Raven was evil, but she wasn’t, well, that.  But that meant she was crashing somewhere.  Maybe the Headmaster had made a room for her when she stayed too late.

Whatever it was, even with their promise, they never talked anymore because Raven hardly ever came back to their dorm, and when she did, she all fell onto the bed in exhaustion. 

“Who’s there?” asked Apple suddenly, looking at the ridiculously overdressed evil stepsister. 

Now there was a maid pair that drew everyone’s attention. 

“Well, now isn’t that novel, a royal who notices us little people,” said the evil stepsister with a cackle.  Apple watched the evil character carefully.  The stepsister was never going to be overlooked.  They were too flashy.  But this one in particular was one of those characters that made everyone just a little uncomfortable.  Her voice gave her away, the deepness not only poorly disguised, but the evil stepsister made it very clear she hadn’t been, well, born the right gender.

Still, Apple was trying to understand, and the evil stepsister couldn’t help her hang-ups. After all, Apple was blonde instead of raven hair.  They all had parts they had to play, and it wasn’t unheard of that little parts of you didn’t fit the right picture.  It was admirable that the evil stepsister was still being the character she was always meant to be despite her supposed deficiencies.

“So, we’ve been working hard with Angel making your dreams come true,” said the Evil Sister coming close enough to Apple to push back her hair. “And we’ve made it so Faybelle can get in tomorrow, but you need you to make sure she’s out in the room at four and the first one back at five.

“Briar’s story?” asked Apple with a squeak.

“Well, yeah, you want your friends to have their happily ever after, right?” asked the Evil Sister with a smirk, twirling her overly hair sprayed locks in her fingers.

“But Briar’s a Royal,” said Apple, her voice squeaking. Why did she have to already fall asleep?  She would happily fall for whatever her Evil Stepmother had planned for her.

“Really?  She doesn’t seem at all that happy to me.  Making sure to party, complaining she’ll never see you,” said the Evil Sister. “Yeah, she seems totally onboard.”

Apple flinched, but she couldn’t help but agree a little.  But, at the same time, Briar had signed, so she had to go through with it.

“Really,” said the Evil Stepsister with a sneer, looking at Apple like she was a rotten apple. “You’re supposed to be the one who wants this.  And why not?  You’re going to lose her in half a year anyway, so why not now.  Plus, didn’t she throw that apparently stellar party a few days ago?  That was a pain to cleanup, but it means, if she sleeps now, she’ll wake up with fond memories of you guys, right?  Seeing as she’s never going to see you all again, isn’t that the kindest thing you could do?”

Why did the Evil Stepsister have to make sense?  But Apple didn’t want to lose Briar.  At least not yet. 

Apple took a deep breath in and let out a long, deep sigh.  Her entire body shaking.  No, Angel was making sure Briar got her happily ever after.  She couldn’t do that to her best friend ever.  Briar’s story needed to be told.  In a hundred years.  Briar would be kissed and by her true love and everything would turn out for the best.

If Angel thought she could start it then… then it would be ok.  They had a deal after all. 

“Why don’t you…” Apple trailed off, looking to the side, unable to look the Evil Stepsister in the eyes.

“Why don’t I do the deed?” asked the Evil Stepsister, walking forward and corning Apple to the wall.  The blunt fingers grasped her chin and forced her to look at the horribly streaked face of someone who had caked their face in cheap makeup and then spent the day doing a hard day’s work of manual labor. “Because I’m stuck working in the depths of the dungeons and my dear Lace has been assigned to watch over and work with our dear Ashlynn tomorrow. So, unless you want her to know about your involvement, and start asking some uncomfortable questions, then I suggest you do the bit of legwork here, hmm?”

Apple gulped and then looked at the other, trying not to cringe at how close the Evil Stepsister was to her.

“Why did you agree to help?” she asked, her voice only wavering a little. “What could you possibly be getting out of this?”

“What, thinking like a villain already?” asked the Evil Sister with an equally evil laugh. “Oh, calm down.  I’m teasing.  Angel’s just got our number.” And she rubs her fingers together, then there’s a moment where her face softens and her smile becomes wistful. “Plus, turns out Ashlynn ain’t half bad for a girl with a silver spoon shoved down her throat and a bitch for a mother.”

Apple gasped at the language, her gloved hands flying to cover her mouth as she stared with wide eyes at the other girl.  The Evil Stepsister rolls her eyes.

“Oh, calm down.  You see some pretty princess who got her fairy tale ending and can sing pretty to rodents.  I see the woman who despite getting everything she wanted, blinded my mother,” sneered the girl. “Ashlynn ain’t that.  She never complained about getting dirty, and doesn’t mind associating with us even when we’re being crude.  Even when we were being shits to her, she just thought we were cute and giggled.  And she didn’t take our crap.  She gave as good as she got, even to mom who couldn’t get past whose daughter she was until Angel’s spell finally infected our Village.”

The Evil Stepsister’s fond look dropped a little as she scowled at Apple.

“But aren’t you supposed to be horrible to her?” asked Apple, even knowing that the other girl would just get even angrier at her for asking.  But they both knew Apple had to ask.  The Evil Stepsisters were supposed to be a balance to Cinderella.  They weren’t just there to cause Cinderella misery, they were supposed to be her foils.  Where Cinderella was hard working, they were slobs.  Where Cinderella was kind and considerate, they were cruel and vicious.  Where Cinderella was modest and polite, they were egotistical and rude.

Where Cinderella was beautiful, they were ugly.

“You think we could be any worse than anyone in this fucking castle?” asked the Evil Stepsister with a fake, grating laugh. “You stupid Royal asshole.  If it ain’t the students making rude comments or playing mean pranks on her because she ‘tricked everyone and she deserves it’ than it’s the other servants doing it for exactly the same reason.  Poor little Ashlynn’s being worked to the bone and abused without us adding to the mix.  And since we care, well, we’re going to make sure she gets her happily ever after, won’t we?  Can’t say the same for your little Briar.  All she does is throw huge parties we’re forced to clean in the morning.  Now there’s a girl I wouldn’t mind making miserable.  So, you should be happy we did anything to help her get her precious story and happy ever after.  The rests up to you to pull off or not, whatever, no skin off my teeth.  Just a little less payment.”

Apple gulped, and the Evil Sister sneered at her, turned on her heels and left the room. 

The door slammed and Apple listened to the click of heels retreat and hoped that no one had been able to hear their conversation.  Finally, her legs gave out from beneath her and Apple sank to the floor. She felt drained, all the positive energy she’d built up helping the unfortunates gone in a single conversation.

She was going to lose Briar tomorrow.  She was going to lose her best friend and she was going to have a hand in making that happen.  Briar, Sleeping Beauty, would sleep for one hundred years, and when she awoke… well, Apple seriously doubted that she would be alive anymore. Apple shuttered.  In a hundred years, she would be dead.  She would have had a great reign, have been a wonderful queen, but Briar wouldn’t be there to celebrate with her, and when Briar woke up, Apple wouldn’t be there to welcome her back to the world of the living.

But Briar would have her prince.  Her one true love.  That was enough.  That had to be enough.  That was always enough.  That was what the stories gave.  They gave hope, and even if Apple never saw her friend awake again, she could be confident that Briar would be happy when her prince finally made it to her, and she could reflect how she’d helped her friend find that perfect moment.

Apple forced herself to stand and started to strip out of her dress.  After she curled into a ball, and if a couple of tears rolled down her cheeks, than that was alright, because even with all the good that would come of Briar’s story finally taking off, Apple is still losing her best friend, and she’s allowed to mourn.

When Apple wakes up in the morning, it’s to a slight headache that she always gets after crying, and a croaking throat she has to work through in order to start properly singing.  The woodland animals were extra cuddly and the doves let out a few soft coos as if trying to let her know that they were there for her.

“You alright Apple?” asked Raven.  Apple jumped a little.  She hadn’t thought that Raven had returned past night.  Had the future Evil Queen heard her crying.  She hoped not. “You look kinda sick.  Maybe you should go see the nurse.”

Apple shook her head. “No, just the cold.  Even I need to stay warm.” Apple shooed away her woodland friends and regretfully closed the window.  The snap of it closing seeming to echo through the room.  She sniffled a little and the turned in shook when slim fingers curled around her shoulder.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” said Raven, holding up her hands. “You really don’t look great Apple.  Maybe you should take the day off, I could let your teachers know you weren’t feeling good and send your friends to bring you food from the cafeteria.”

“Tha—“ Apple bites her lip.  She was going to reject the offer, but that’s not what is bothering her at the moment.  What’s bothering her is that she has to turn down a nice gesture from what should be an evil person.  Apple turned away from Raven, a bit of anger worming itself through her.  Why can’t Raven just do what she is supposed to do?  If Raven just agreed to follow her destiny instead of putting them all in danger, then Apple wouldn’t have had to make the deal with Angel and she would still have half a year before she lost her best friend. 

Instead, Apple was forced was to take part in losing her best friend.  Apple had no business interfering with Briar’s story, but because of Raven, she didn’t have a choice.  She would not lose any of her friends to becoming dust.  She refused.

“I’m fine.  I just need to get ready is all,” said Apple, her tone a bit short, but even Princesses and Queens have to let their anger show sometimes in order to get their point across.  Still, Apple forces herself to glide over to her closet to pick out her dress, ignoring Raven until she can get herself back under control.

“Oh, alright,” said Raven, and her voice is so… Apple can’t just let her be that miserable.  She isn’t happy with Raven, but she can’t treat Raven like this.  Raven is an important part of her story, and Apple is a future queen.  She has to act with kindness and understanding.

“How is Daring doing?” asked Apple, flicking her fingers so the brownies could help her dress.  All those layers and laces made it hard to put on outfits Apple sometimes almost wishes that fashion wasn’t so hard to put on.  Raven starts cursing at a few stray brownies that Apple can see are trying to help her out of her nightclothes.  Finally, she relents enough to let them help while she also does the heavy work.

“Daring is… I think he’ll be able to talk to you soon.  He’s still a little shaken by you just… but he understands.  You two weren’t really dating,” said Raven with a weak laugh.  Apple steadied her hand as she looked at her mirror and started to carefully paint her face. Not too much makeup, but enough to help her features pop and enhance her beauty.  Raven knew they had wanted to be each other’s, but it was also a fact that they couldn’t be anymore. “So, he just needs to come to terms with what he looks like and know that he hasn’t changed inside just because he is different inside.”

Which Apple knew wasn’t as easy as Daring had centered his personality on how he looked.  He loved the way he looked.  Or at least he used to until Raven’s good deed blew up in her face.

Apple took a deep breath.  The Headmaster Grimm said that there was a reason this was ok.  There was a story that was appropriate here. 

“I’m glad you’re there for him,” said Apple, proud of herself when her voice didn’t crack.

“Well, there’s not just me.  I mean, a lot of people are uncomfortable with him.  Hunter can’t be around him anymore but… and Dexter always ends up yelling at him… but Cerise is there, and Blondie and Maddie are trying in their own special way,” said Raven and then she sighed.  Her foot tapping against the ground. “Basically, it will be really nice when he’s ready to start talking to you again. I think that will really help him get closer to himself.  The closer he gets, the more I’ll be able to change him back.  He’s too twisted for anyone to help him right now.”

“Is that how Psalm’s use of your magic works?” asked Apple, her voice softer.  No matter how Psalm had hurt all of them, in her grief she had killed herself.  That forced everyone to feel sick themselves.

“From what I and Baba Yaga can figure out,” said Raven softly herself. “It would help if… but that won’t happen.”

The silence between them stretched until the brownies disappeared and Apple’s alarm let her know she needed to leave or she wouldn’t have time for breakfast.

“So, you feeling better?  You sound better,” said Raven.  Apple smiled and nodded.  Raven didn’t go with her down to the cafeteria as she needed to get Daring.  They would probably miss breakfast, but they would see.

“So, I’m thinking, tomorrow is Friday and Rumpelstiltskin’s next test so we should probably have another study party,” said Briar, sitting next to Apple without first saying hello.

“But this one everyone should already be ready for,” said Apple with a giggle.

“Yeah, but just imagine it,” and Briar stood on the table, Apple having to move her tray away before her food was stepped in. “A study party tonight in my room.  Woop Woop.”

“Woop, Woop?” asked Poppy.  Raising an eyebrow.

“It’s a party,” said Briar who then looked at Apple. “So, you’ll help me get ready for tonight?”

“Ah, yeah, of course,” said Apple. “I think the people from the bake sale yesterday, um, Ginger, said something about too many cupcakes.  Maybe we can go to the group after classes today to see if we can get some treats.”

“Fabulous,” said Briar. “Some sugar to keep us up all night if needed.  Now, let’s see if I can find Muse for some music.”

And with that, Briar was off.  It was a good thing she always made sure to get food she could eat on the go.  Holly rolled her eyes and shared a look with her and they giggled.  Still, as Apple got all her junk together, she couldn’t help but wish that she hadn’t known about what was happening with Briar later that night. 

Briar would be out until out her room until five as she got the materials she needed to really throw her party.  A party that would never happen because her story was about to start.  Concentrating during the class was impossible.  Apple found herself drifting in and out of focus until the rumor that she was sick was circulating throughout the classroom.  Apple wasn’t sure if Raven had started the rumor, but she wouldn’t be surprised. 

Briar even asked if Apple needed to take a nap before their party that night. 

That made Apple excuse herself, and she spent five minutes in the girl’s bathroom getting herself together.  Holding herself and just wondering if she shouldn’t call the whole thing off.  Tell Angel the deal was broken.  Tell everyone who Ashlynn really was and who the Evil Stepsisters planned to allow into the building. 

 But then she thought of Ashlynn disappearing as dust before her.  Of Briar crumbling into nothing.  Of Apple reaching a hand toward Raven even as the wind took her away.  No, she couldn’t let that happen.  She wouldn’t let her friends destroy themselves.  She wouldn’t allow it. 

She always knew that it would lead to losing Briar.  That Raven would turn evil.  But, at least now Raven got to be good.  Right?  Was that why the Headmaster was letting her fix Daring.  Maybe by doing this on her own would prove that she was really good.  So that when Raven poisoned Apple, there would be something good to remember something wonderful about her.

That meant that Briar was going to leave her.  Apple checked the time.  It was four.  Time to kill an hour. 

“So, about that Briar.  Just had to freshen up,” said Apple.

“No problem.  She where are these cupcakes?” asked Briar.

“Right on the edge of the school grounds toward the school,” said Apple, walking beside her friend. Then she saw a couple of limp flowers in her friend’s hands. “Are those waterlilies?”

“Yeah, bet you can guess who they’re from,” said Briar, and then threw them into the nearest dumpster.  Apple flinched at the careless action.

“That’s a little cruel, isn’t it?” she asked, one of the limp flowers falling into the basket.

“Better to disillusion him now,” said Briar with a flip of her hair. “I don’t know why he’s trying anyway.  I mean, he knows I’m going to fall asleep, doesn’t he?  A hundred years.  He’s better finding someone who’s actually into amphibians.”

“Briar,” said Apple with a sigh.

“I have standards.  Plus, his obsession with me is starting to get a little creepy.  I mean, I’ve already told him like at least half a dozen times I’m not interested and he just comes back with gifts and follows me around.  It’s annoying,” said Briar dramatically.  Apple gave her friend a smile.

Well, at least Briar wouldn’t have to worry about that ever again.  After all, when she woke up she would have her prince, and Hopper would be a thing of the distant past. 

Apple shook her head.

This was no time for these thoughts.  She was going to spend the last hour getting hyped for the perfect study party.

And it was perfect, every moment.  They chatted about nothing important, idle gossip and silly facts they had known since they were little.  When they made it to Ginger they bought out all her extra baked goods, and with what they couldn’t transport themselves they hired to have delivered, and a few ended up thrown everywhere.  The cupcakes scattered across the room and covering their clothes. 

At five, Apple was talking to Briar about dropping off her cupcakes and going to back to her room to change before the party really started.  Briar chatted about setting up the DJ center and getting the projector ready so they could go over the problems they were likely to get. 

And then silence, and the sound of a limp body hitting the floor stopped any words that might have escaped Apple’s mouth.  Apple shuttered, staring at the cupcakes, her mind scattering so many thoughts in her head that it became a hum of useless noise.  Apple turned, and there was her best friend, lying on the ground in front of a spinning wheel that Apple had never seen before.

Like a martinet, her puppeteer unsure and inexperienced.  On the ground her friends body lay, her chest rising and falling.  The idle thought that perhaps Apple should run in case the roses and thorns started growing and she got caught in Briar’s curse flew across her mind.  But Apple ignored it.  No, if that really were a danger than Apple would have made Briar leave. 

A bead of blood slowly ran down the spindle.  Apple watched it for a moment before she knelt, her body on automatic, moving despite the confused yelling that rattled in her head. Her arms wrapped around her best friend’s sleeping body, and somehow, she found the strength to lift Briar bridle style.  She stumbled as she stood under the weight, but caught herself, and she was surprised to feel a sob ripped from her chest.

But that was impossible.  Apple had already mourned her friend all last night, all day really.  She had come to terms that this had to happen.  Apple’s feet took her step by step closer to Briar’s bed. Finally, Apple carefully lowered the warm body to the covers, feeling Briar’s breath caress her cheek. 

Apple wiped at face, tears obscuring her vision, and even as the salty flow continued, Apple saw the tendrils of roses and their thorns surround Briar, obscuring her from view.  But it only went around the newly made Sleeping Beauty’s body.  So, Apple had been right, Angel had made it possible to have Briar fall asleep without everyone else sleeping with her.  At least until Briar was moved to her destined castle.

“Well, that worked out well,” said a cheerful voice.  Apple’s head sprung up, and through her wavering vision she caught a glance of a flying white and blue young woman. “Whoops.”

That must have been Faybelle, echoed through Apple’s mind.  Sobs then doubled within Apple’s chest, and she finally broke down, tears streaking her face along with snot making her ugly.

“Alright part…. Apple, Briar!” shouted Maddie. Suddenly chaos fell, and Apple couldn’t say a word as grief filled her.  Even when the Headmaster came to see her, all she could do was point out the window and say something about a blue evil fairy.

“Faybelle made it through our defenses?” asked the Headmaster, sounding more surprised than angry.  Was he in on this?  Had the Evil Stepsisters told him their reasons for showing up? Did it really matter?  All that mattered was that she would never see Briar awake again.  Never hear her voice.

She would never get to play with her friend ever again.  Tears fell from her eyes, and at some point, Raven took her in her arms.  Raven, the Evil Queen, the person who would poison her insisted on being kind even in this moment.  Apple clung to her, unable to stop sobbing.  Grief had her.  It wrapped her up and refused to release her.

But some day, some day it would be alright, she knew it would be alright.  Their stories would come to pass, and Briar would get everything she deserved.  Her happily ever after would wash this hurt away.  She would make new friends.  She would celebrate something wonderful.  And in the end…

In the end, the last page would be written and the stories would spin into infinity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot the chapter I ended up not writing was heavy on not only the awkward, swearing Evil Stepsister, but also on the drama. Sheesh.


End file.
